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HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE 



HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL 
LIFE 

FOR RELIGIOUS AND FOR ALL PERSONS 

IN THE WORLD WHO DESIRE TO 

SERVE GOD FERVENTLY 

FROM THE GERMAN OF 

REV. JOSEPH SCHNEIDER, S.J. 

WITH ADDITIONS BY 

REV. FERREOL GIRARDEY, C.SS.R. 



NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO 
BENZIGER BROTHERS 

PRINTERS TO THE HOLY APOSTOLIC SEE 



THE LiBRAfCY OF 


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APR y 


1903 


cuKss £\^ 


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XXc. No. 


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REMIGIUS LAFORT, S.T.L., 

Censor. 



ITmprimatur* 



^ JOHN M. FARLEY, 

Archbishop of New York. 



New York, February 15, 1903. 



Copyright, 1903, by Benziger Brothers. 





Contents 




Notice 




PAGB 

vii 


CHAPTER 
I. 


A Christian Rule of Life 


I 


II. 


On Prayer . . . , . 


23 


III. 


Method of Meditation 


57 


IV. 


Three Other Methods of Prayer . 


74 


V. 


Method of Examination of Conscience . 


81 


VI. 


Points for the Particular Examen during 






the Annual Retreat 


94 


VII. 


On the Confession of Devotion . 


96 


VIII. 


Holy Communion .... 


133 


IX. 


Spiritual Communion — Visit to the 






Blessed Sacrament . . . • 


154 


X. 


Purity of Intention .... 


162 


XI. 


Meditation on the Present State of our 






Soul ...... 


169 


XII. 


How to make our Monthly Recollection, 






together with the Preparation for Death 


176 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER 

XIII. 



XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 
XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 



Consideration for the Anniversary of One's 

Entrance into the Religious State 
Consideration for the Anniversary of 

One's Profession 
Marks of Tepidity 
Marks of a Fervent Religious 
Motives for serving God More and More 

Fervently Every Day 
Means against Temptations . 
Mottoes, Maxims, and Resolutions for 

Frequent Consideration 
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ 
Meditations on the Passion for Every 

Day in the Month . 
The Blessed Virgin Mary • 



179 

184 
187 
192 

198 
202 

207 
234 

241 
246 



Notice. 

The following little work was compiled 
and published by Rev. F. Schoenbold from 
the writings of Rev. Joseph Schneider, S.J., 
the well-known, learned and pious author of 
excellent spiritual books. Chapters I., II., 
and VII. were written for general use, whilst 
all the other chapters, except those added 
by the translator, were written by Father 
Schneider for the benefit of two religious 
communities, for which he had been charged 
to compose Rules and Constitutions. The 
translator, to render the work more com- 
plete by the addition of some of the practi- 
cal asceticism of St. Alphonsus, has added 
Chapters VIII., IX., X., XX., and XXII. 



viii NOTICE. 

He takes this opportunity to recommend 
most earnestly the ascetical works of that 
great saint and Doctor of the Church, who 
was as eminent in ascetical science as in 
Moral Theology, to all who desire to sanc- 
tify themselves, whether they be religious 
or persons living in the world. 

THE TRANSLATOR. 



HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL 
LIFE. 

CHAPTER I. 

A Christian Rule of Life. 

SECTION I. GENERAL RULES AND MAXIMS. 

I. Thou hast been created to know, praise, 
honor, and serve God and, by so doing, to save 
thy immortal soul. Such is thy destiny for 
time and for eternity. Everything else in this 
world, all that exists out of and around thee, all 
that happens to thee, either agreeable or dis- 
agreeable, should, in ^the designs of God, be 
a help to thee to attain thy end. From this 
it follows that thou shouldst make use of 
creatures — taken in the sense given above — 
only in so far as they may promote the attain- 
ment of thy end, and that it behooves thee to 



2 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

abstain from them whenever they hinder thee 
from securing thy destiny. In other words, 
thou shouldst not ask, " Does this agree with 
my inclinations or gratify my sensuality,*' but 
rather, "Will this help me to reach my 
eternal destiny ? " In order, however, to 
acquire such a frame of mind as will enable 
thee always to follow and obey this principle, 
thou shouldst strive to become perfectly 
indifferent concerning all that surrounds thee, 
all that happens to thee, so that thou wilt not 
desire or will health, wealth, honor, a long 
life, etc., any more than their opposites, so 
long as the divine will, or the duties of thy 
state and the exigencies of thy condition, or 
due charity and justice towards thy fellow- 
men, do not require thee to give the preference 
to any one of these. It behooves thee to be 
indifferent concerning those things that are 
not in thy power, but are dependent on the 
wise and loving providence of God, who alone 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 3 

knows what is best for thee in every particular 
case. Thou shouldst not wish one thing more 
than another, but shouldst abandon thyself 
with childlike confidence and the most perfect 
conformity of judgment and will to the Lord, 
inasmuch as thou desirest and choosest that 
only which is calculated to promote best 
the end of thy creation. In order to acquire 
this holy indifference, in which life's only 
true wisdom consists, thou shouldst often 
ask thyself and answer these questions : 
(i) What profit is there in enjoying pleasure 
and good health during life, if I render myself 
miserable for all eternity ? What harm is 
there in leading a life of suffering, pain and 
privations, if I can thereby render myself 
forever happy ? — (2) What will it avail me 
to be very learned, refined and accomplished, 
if I do not escape eternal punishment ? 
What will it hurt me to be poor, illiterate 
and unrefined, if it helps me to acquire ever- 



4 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

lasting bliss? — (3) What advantage is there 
in my being honored and esteemed during 
life, and after death to cast my lot with the 
reprobate ? What harm is there in living in 
an humble station and in being despised 
during life, if this promotes and secures my 
eternal welfare ? — (4) What benefit is there 
in a long but ill-spent life on earth, if it leads 
to endless misery ? What disadvantage is 
there in dying young, provided by my 
virtues I secure heaven's ineflfable joys ? 

2. Thou hast only one soul ; if it is 
lost, everything is lost for thee. Thou 
hast only one God ; if thou dost not serve 
Him, thou servest sin and art a slave of 
Satan. Thou hast only one Redeemer, 
Jesus Christ; if thou dost not heed His 
voice. He will suffer thee to be lost. Thou 
hast in the next world only one Judge, from 
whose sentence there is no appeal to a 
higher tribunal. Thou hast only one 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 5 

heaven to hope for ; if thou art excluded 
from it, hell will surely be thy portion. 
Thou shalt die but once, and thou knowest 
not when, how, or where ; and it is this 
death that shall decide thy eternity — either 
an eternity of happiness or an eternity of 
misery. It is then of the utmost impor- 
tance for thee to strive earnestly and con- 
stantly to secure eternal happiness, whilst 
thou hast time and the means to do so ; 
for the night will come for thee, and per- 
haps very soon, when thou shalt no longer 
be able to work for it. 

3. God demands not only that we avoid 
sin, but also the ordinary daily works of 
which our life is made up. 

4. God loves and wishes that we keep 
order in our daily actions ; He wills that 
we perform them according to the dictates 
of right reason, and not according to 
our caprice. " Let all things be done 



6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

decently and according to order" (i Cor. 
xiv. 40). 

5. God requires, moreover, that we per- 
form our actions in a proper manner, and 
with a pure intention, for He regards rather 
the manner than the matter of our doings. 
To be perfectly good, our actions should 
be performed with a good and pure inten- 
tion and in the proper manner. 

From these general rules and maxims 
flow the following special rules. 

SECTION II. SPECIAL RULES. 

1. Rise daily at a fixed hour, resolutely, 
promptly, devoutly. Resolutely, without 
excuse or pretext; promptly, without de- 
lay; devoutly, amid pious thoughts and 
aspirations towards God. So begin each 
day, as if it were the first or the last of thy 
life. A day will surely come, and perhaps 
very soon, which will be thy last. 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 7 

2. If possible, hear Mass daily, with 
reverence and attention. 

With Reverence. Let that which is holy, 
be holy for thee. Let the Model of thy 
conduct be Christ offering Himself in the 
Garden of Gethsemane. His eyes, His 
hands. His demeanor in prayer represented 
and promoted His interior devotion. Thy 
faith and its profession require the same 
of thee. Be sincerely pious like Abel, 
and not wicked and hypocritical like Cain. 

With Attention. Pay attention to the 
principal parts of the Mass. Begin like the 
publican, and at the Confiteor say : " O God 
of goodness and might, be merciful to me, 
a sinner. I acknowledge my guilt; I be- 
wail it and crave for pardon." At the 
Offertory offer thy heart to the Lord in 
sacrifice, exclaiming with David, " O God, 
despise not an humbled and contrite heart" 
(Ps. 1. 19). At the Elevation of the Sacred 



8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Host ask God with David to create in thee 
a clean heart. At the Elevation of the 
Chalice ask God again with David to renew 
in thee the right spirit, not to take His holy 
Spirit from thee, but to strengthen thee 
with a joyful spirit. At the Communion 
give thyself entirely to the Most High, 
who gives Himself to thee, and say with 
St. Augustine : '^ O Lord, take possession 
of me, of my eyes, of my ears, hands and 
feet, of my tongue, of my heart, of my 
soul, of my whole being. I am all Thine ; 
I will forever remain all Thine." By doing 
this thou wilt easily banish distractions and 
restrain the wanderings of thy mind. 

3. Pray tranquilly, slowly and reveren- 
tially. 

Tranquilly. In a place where thou art 
not exposed to be disturbed or distracted ; 
and at a time when thou art not taken up 
with cares. Devout prayer is hindered by 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 9 

the going and coming of people and the 
multitude of affairs. 

Slowly. He who prays performs an im- 
portant act ; hence why should he be in a 
hurry ? 

Reverentially. In prayer thou speakest to 
the Sovereign Lord of the universe. 

4. In intercourse be friendly, prudent. 

Friendly. A sincere, unaffected friendli- 
ness overcomes everything. There is no 
heart so hard as not to give admittance to a 
kind word, and to allow itself to be soothed 
by it. Do not give or take offence, do not 
get irritated. The hands of all were raised 
against Ismael, because he raised his hands 
against all. In many things be blind, deaf 
and dumb, that thou mayst not disturb the 
peace and cause quarrels. 

Prudent. Do not trust nor mistrust every- 
body. Neither believe nor discredit every- 
thing. Do not praise everything, nor withhold 



lo HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

thy praise from everything. Thou livest 
among men, and not among angels. Men 
do not always, but sometimes, deceive ; 
there is sometimes a wolf concealed under a 
lamb's wool. Be more inclined to explain 
in good part another's obscure saying than 
to condemn him. Beware of hastily desig- 
nating or considering another's actions as 
sinful ; thou shouldst take under thy pro- 
tection the conscience of thy fellow-man, for 
it is often good and guiltless in spite of 
appearances to the contrary. But when thy 
neighbor's fault is too evident to admit of the 
excuse of a good intention, thou shouldst still 
refrain from condemning him, but shouldst 
ascribe it to the violence of the temptation, 
which would have overpowered thee equally, 
or even more shamefully, hadst thou been 
in his place. Never speak ill of others or 
well of thyself. To speak at the proper 
time is an art ; but to keep silence at the 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. ii 

proper time is no less an art. Thou hast 
certainly oftener regretted having spoken 
than having been silent. 

5. Obey promptly, punctually. 
Promptly. As if the voice of command 

came directly from heaven. When thou 
obeyest a man merely as a man, thou obeyest 
with difficulty and without merit. But if 
thou obey him for God's sake, thy obedi- 
ence becomes pleasant and meritorious. 

Punctually. Not superficially ; not in ap- 
pearance or as " serving to the eye " (Col. 
iii. 22 and Eph. vi. 6). God, who has given 
the command, sees what thou doest and how 
thou doest it. Wouldst thou make Him a 
faulty oflfering ? 

6. Recreate thyself honorably, decorously, 
joyfully. 

Honorably. Away, then, with all amuse- 
ments dangerous to thy soul ! Let the com- 
pany, the kind, the place, the manner of thy 



12 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

recreation, be select. Flee the secret recesses 
of sloth and the schools of intemperance and 
dissipation, and everywhere and always show 
reverence for thy guardian angel. 

Decorously. We should respect one an- 
other. Water and earth are clean in them- 
selves, but when mixed together become 
mud and dirt. Too great familiarity with 
persons of like sex breeds contempt, and 
with the other sex begets danger and ruin 
to modesty, which is the guardian of inno- 
cence and virtue. 

Joyfully. But within due bounds, and, if 
possible, within the family circle. Consider 
recreation as a medicine, and not as a daily 
food. It may be enjoyed, but not too often, 
and even then only with moderation, and, as 
it were, reluctantly. The playing of games 
is not evil in itself; but to be too greatly 
absorbed and spend much time therein 
proves injurious to the soul, since it draws 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 13 

the soul from serious subjects to trifles. 
Thou livest not in order to amuse thyself, 
but thou shouldst amuse thyself in order to 
live and the better to be able to work. 

7. Work and occupy thyself in an orderly 
manner, earnestly, for the love of God. 

In an Orderly Manner. Perform first what 
is prescribed, and then what is of thy own 
choice. He who acts thus, does not seek 
to please himself, but does what is becom- 
ing and useful. Order is the royal road by 
which we may attain our end more directly 
and more easily. 

Earnestly. That is, with due exertion. 
God sees, assists and rewards thee. This 
thought should inspire us with courage 
and diligence. No one sets to work more 
eagerly than he who directs his view towards 
God, and considers for whose sake he is 
laboring and wearing himself out. 

For the Love of God. With the intention 



14 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

to serve and glorify God. Unite also thy 
sentiments and actions with those of thy 
divine Saviour, so that what is deficient 
in thine may be supplied by His infinite 
merits. In this manner thy most ordinary 
and most insignificant actions acquire a su- 
pernatural worth, become agreeable to God 
and meritorious to thee unto Hfe eternal. 

8. Conquer thyself often, manfully. 

Often. Thus wilt thou accustom thyself 
to self-mastery. Thy eyes, thy ears, thy 
tongue, thy hands and feet, thy appetite, 
the passions of anger, love, lust, fear, sad- 
ness, love of pleasure, will often assail thee 
violently and strive to drag thee downwards. 
But it is only bodies devoid of vital energy 
that suflfer themselves to be thus dragged. 
The living man resists the impetuous stream. 
Conquer thyself often in little things, and 
thou shalt learn to overcome thyself in 
those that are greater. Deny thyself some- 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 15 

times that which is lawful, and thou shalt 
easily deny thyself that which is unlawful. 
Manfully. The effeminate are not born to 
great things. Strength is the result of in- 
urement to exertion. If thou desirest to 
live long, and especially to live devoutly, do 
not live effeminately ; for he who thus lives 
and panders to himself does not love God. 
Bear sufferings and adversity with patience. 
It is not in thy power to ward off all pain, 
but it is in thy power to draw great advan- 
tages therefrom. In thy sufferings look up 
to thy Saviour on the cross ; complain not, 
but bear them in silent patience. A cross 
known to God alone is a great treasure to a 
Christian soul. If God allows thee to suffer 
much, consider it as a sign that He wishes 
to make thee a great saint. Crosses and 
afflictions are the most precious gifts God 
imparts to thee in this world, and thy ac- 
ceptance and patient bearing of them is the 



1 6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

most precious gift thou canst offer Him in 
this vale of tears. 

9. Let thy voluntary devotions be short, 
cheerful. 

Short. If they last long, thou wilt per- 
form them carelessly or soon drop them. 
The principal thing is not how much thou 
performest, but with what intention thou 
actest. A piece of gold is worth many 
pieces of silver. Fervor and constancy im- 
part great value to short devotions. 

Cheerful. That is, freely and without sad 
constraint, so that thou do not become un- 
easy when it is advisable to exchange them 
for some better work, or necessary to omit 
them entirely. An immovable person is 
only a human statue. He who is prudent 
knows how to adapt his resolutions to cir- 
cumstances. 

10. Raise thy heart to God often, sin- 
cerely. 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 17 

Often. At least once every hour raise thy 
heart to God, for he Hves piously and 
happy who, as much as he can, has his 
heart constantly near God and God in his 
heart. What breathing is to the body, that 
a pious disposition is to the soul; it is re- 
freshing. When leaving thy house, when 
entering the church, in prosperity and in 
adversity, in corporal dangers, in spiritual 
desolation, in difficulties of all kinds, send 
up a loving aspiration to heaven ; it will 
penetrate the clouds ; thy prayer will as- 
cend, and the divine mercy will descend to 
thee. 

Sincerely. Beseech God with thy heart, 
and not merely with thy lips. If thou 
wishest to pray well, love God, and mani- 
fest thy love to Him in every possible way. 
No one is so sure to shun evil as he who 
has thus accustomed himself to unite his 
actions with love. 



1 8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

11. Receive the sacraments eagerly, be- 
comingly. 

Eagerly. Jesus Christ calls thee; the great 
banquet is ready. Dost thou not hunger 
after this heavenly food? It is good for 
the body to fast sometimes, but the soul 
should be refreshed as often as possible. 

Becomingly. Do not appear at holy Com- 
munion without the wedding garment, which 
is a figure of sanctifying grace and devotion. 
This banquet will, then, always be pleasing 
and wholesome to thee, and will be a food 
filling thy soul with heavenly blessings, and 
not with a curse, and will be to thee, not 
the stamp of reprobation, but a pledge of 
eternal glory. 

12. Examine thy conscience daily, care- 
fully. 

Daily. Because thou sinnest daily. If 
thou neglected this daily examination, thou 
wilt easily fall into the habit of sin. Al- 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 19 

though thou canst not avoid all faults, thou 
shouldst flee all those that are deliberate, 
and the proximate occasion and habit of 
sin. The habit of venial sin ever draws 
after it a number of great evils. 

Carefully. In the evening examine each 
hour of the day, and thou wilt know thyself 
and feel sorrow and amend. Thus the 
night will happily flow by, and a good day 
will follow, even if thou wert to awaken in 
another world. 

With these means of leading a truly 
Christian life join daily, if thy occupations 
permit, a short reading of a book of devo- 
tion, or religious instruction, in order to 
impress deeply on thy mind the divine 
revelations and good principles, and to as- 
sist thee in keeping recollected in the very 
midst of thy occupations. Among the 
spiritual books the New Testament, with 
approved notes and comments, holds the 



20 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL UFE. 

first place ; then the " Following of Christ," 
the lives of the saints and of holy persons, 
the ascetical works of St. Francis de Sales 
and of St. Alphonsus, Goffine, Cochem's 
or Mueller's " Sacrifice of the Mass,*' 
Rodriguez's " Christian Perfection," and 
other works recommended to thee by thy 
pastor or confessor. These and other 
similar works enlighten the mind, inflame 
the heart, excite to good resolutions, en- 
courage, preserve and strengthen in the 
practice of virtue. To enjoy these fruits, 
read with moderation, and be less anxious 
to read much, than careful as to what and 
how thou readest. Read attentively, eagerly 
but slowly, and reflect calmly on what thou 
readest. Accompany and end thy reading 
with good resolutions. It was by the read- 
ing of spiritual books that St. Ignatius 
Loyola and many others were induced to 
lead a holy life. How praiseworthy and 



A CHRISTIAN RULE OF LIFE. 21 

salutary was the ancient custom, now still 
seen in many places among fervent Catho- 
lic families, that the father of the family, 
especially on Sundays and feast days and 
during the long winter evenings, would him- 
self read, or have one of the older children 
read, to his household something edifying 
and instructive, and then would make appro- 
priate and practical remarks on the reading. 
Very wholesome and profitable is the 
custom of those, who at the end of each 
month examine themselves on the foregoing 
principles, purify their conscience by a sin- 
cere and contrite confession, and seek fresh 
strength for the coming month in holy 
Communion. He who thus spends his 
days will, at the end of his life, have the 
consolation of being able to appropriate to 
himself these words of St. Paul : " I have 
fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith. As to the 



zz HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

rest, there is laid up for me a crown of 
justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, 
will render to me in that day" (2 Tim. 
iv. 7, 8). 



CHAPTER 11. 

On Prayer. 

Of all possible human occupations and 
actions prayer is the most sublime, the 
most noble and the most excellent, for it 
is a familiar intercourse between God and 
man. At prayer God speaks to man, and 
man to God. In prayer we raise our 
mind and heart to God Himself, the chief 
Good, in order to honor, adore and love 
Him, to praise and thank Him, to bewail 
our sins in His presence, to crave pardon 
for them, and to express holy resolutions of 
amendment and fidelity, and, finally, to peti- 
tion Him for all that is necessary or useful 
for His glory, and for the temporal and 

23 



24 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

eternal welfare of ourselves and of our fel- 
low-men. The whole life of the angels 
and saints in heaven is a constant prayer. 
The Heart of Jesus, the heart of Mary, the 
heart of the saints on earth, were continually 
united to God in prayer. Some men have 
gone so far in their pride as to assert that in 
praying man dishonors himself. This is 
both false and absurd, for it is precisely 
by prayer that man exalts himself. The 
voluntary abasement of the heart in prayer, 
the humility adoring God in love and im- 
ploring Him to grant what He is not bound 
to give, and what He will grant only to 
prayer, is the very step by which man is 
enabled to ascend to noble sentiments, to 
virtue, to the image and likeness of God, 
who is the true and only source of human 
greatness. Prayer is the language of our 
wants, the practical acknowledgment of our 
dependence on God, the exercise and clear 



ON PRAYER. 



25 



proof of our religion, the bond uniting us to 
divine love, the pulsation of religious life 
and sentiment. The prayerless Christian is 
a man without God, without religious wor- 
ship, without religion and without hope. 
Happy, then, is the soul that wishes to pray 
and can pray. A thousand times unhappy 
is he who despises and neglects prayer. As 
a man prays, so he lives. He lives badly 
that prays badly ; he that prays not at all, 
lives not humanly, but only vegetates. 
Prayer is to an uncorrupted heart like a 
second nature — an imperative and sweet 
habit. A friend takes pleasure in thinking 
of his friend, and finds delight in a hearty 
and confidential talk with him. A good 
child delights in thinking of his beloved 
father, and has no difficulty in opening his 
heart to him. How, then, can it be diffi- 
cult for a Christian to think of God, his 
gracious Father, of Jesus Christ, his most 



26 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

loving Redeemer, to express to Him his 
feelings of reverence, love and gratitude, 
and to beseech Him, with childlike and 
affectionate confidence, to grant him His 
help and His grace. He who reflects on 
this will not be astonished at this admoni- 
tion of St. Paul, "Pray without ceasing" 
(i Thess. V. 17). 

Prayer is not so difficult as many imagine. 
A truly Christian soul can surely find no 
great difficulty in presenting to God in 
prayer her weakness, her shortcomings, her 
wants, her desires, her sufferings and trials. 
Experience tells her loudly enough, that 
all the efforts of her ingenuity alone can- 
not console her in her difficulties and afflic- 
tions, or enable her to escape the evils that 
oppress her. Prayer is so easy that, if we 
so wish, we can always and in all places raise 
our heart devoutly to God ; to do this there 
is no need of many words or of choice 



ON PRAYER. 27 

phrases, for, to converse with God, all that 
is required is to direct our thoughts to Him, 
and to speak to Him sincerely and familiarly, 
and He will listen to us and grant us His 
favors. And this we can do whenever and 
wherever and as often as we wish. Never- 
theless, the prayers we offer up in church 
are more pleasing to God. He will there, if 
we may so speak, listen more attentively to 
the cry of the afflicted, and will more easily 
grant our petitions. " My eyes shall be open, 
and My ears attentive to the prayer of him 
that shall pray in this place *' (2 Paral. vii. 
15). The church is specially destined and 
dedicated to prayer and divine worship : 
"My house is a house of prayer" (Luke 
xix. 46). Everything therein raises our 
affections to God, and our prayers there are 
strongly supported by those of our fellow- 
Christians. Another advantage of our 
churches is that they are "the house of 



28 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

God," the place where Jesus Christ, through 
whose merits alone every good thing is 
imparted to us, dwells personally as God 
and man in the Sacrament of His love, in 
order to receive the homages and supplica- 
tions of His children, and to nourish them 
with His graces and blessings. Hence the 
prayers offered up in church are specially 
salutary and profitable. 

In order to raise our thoughts to God and 
speak to Him sincerely and familiarly and 
in a way pleasing to Him and useful to our- 
selves, we should, as the apostles once did, 
address this petition to Him, " Lord, teach 
us how to pray" (Luke xi. i). He will 
teach us by His example, by His words and 
by His grace. After His baptism He with- 
drew into a desert and there spent forty days 
in prayer. During His ministry He would 
often, after a day of labor and fatigue, retire 
to some solitary place to spend the night in 



ON PRAYER. 



29 



prayer. He prayed on the mount of His 
transfiguration, before raising Lazarus to life, 
at the Last Supper, in the garden of olives, 
on the cross. He told His disciples that 
"it behooveth always to pray and not to 
faint" (Luke xviii. i) ; "watch ye and pray" 
(John iv. 2) ; " ask, and you shall receive " 
(Mat. vii. 7). He ascended into heaven, as 
St. Paul writes to the Hebrews, in order to 
appear before the face of God in our behalf, 
and "He liveth always, in order to pray for 
us" (Hebr. vii. 25 ; Rom. viii. 34). 

It is not only a self-evident and expressly 
and strictly commanded obligation to love 
God, to offer Him due homage, to thank 
Him for benefits received, and to crave 
pardon for the offences committed against 
Him, and all this is done through prayer, 
but prayer is also absolutely necessary to 
all who have attained the use of reason as 
a means of obtaining the graces necessary 



30 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

for salvation. For without grace, without 
the divine assistance, we can do nothing 
profitable to our salvation : " Without 
Me/' says Jesus Christ, "you can do noth- 
ing " (John XV. 5) ; nay, even the desire of 
doing good is not our own work, for St. 
Paul says : " Not that we are sufficient to 
think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves ; 
but our sufficiency is from God " (2 Cor. 
iii. 5). For this we need grace, since we are 
helpless of ourselves. Without divine grace 
we cannot have faith, hope and charity, nor 
repent of our sins, overcome temptation, 
and avoid sin, discharge our duties in a 
manner pleasing to God, exercise any Chris- 
tian virtue, carry our cross, and suffer piously 
and meritoriously, or keep our resolutions 
and promises to God, nor, what is of the 
utmost importance, persevere in good until 
the end. The most necessary and indis- 
pensable means of obtaining all these 



ON PRAYER. 31 

graces, in the ordinary dispensation of di- 
vine providence, i.e.^ whenever God does 
not work a miracle to help us, is prayer. 
God, indeed, imparts some graces without 
being asked ; among these is the grace of 
prayer, and the gift of faith, and baptism 
to infants incapable of praying for it. But, 
because adults have to obtain salvation by 
their own cooperation, God has made the 
granting of further graces dependent on 
prayer. He wishes to draw more closely 
to Himself our mind and heart, and render 
our desires more earnest and ardent, by 
more deeply impressing upon us our own 
weakness and helplessness. Hence He 
bids us pray in these words, "Ask, and 
you shall receive " (John xvi. 24). Prayer 
is, then, in the designs of God, the chan- 
nel, the ordinary means of grace for us. 
Hence we should consider it as something 
unusual, extraordinary, accidental, to receive 



32 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

something without having asked for it, or 
to find something without seeking it. But 
since it would be presumptuous and im- 
prudent to depend on chance for our sal- 
vation, it behooves us to pray for the 
necessary graces. The greatest and most 
important graces, especially the forgiveness 
of sins and sanctifying grace, are not given 
to us directly through prayer alone, but 
through the reception of the sacraments ; 
but without prayer we cannot worthily re- 
ceive the sacraments, nor appropriate their 
effects to ourselves, nor perseveringly co- 
operate with them. 

It is contrary to sound reason to say or 
think that it is superfluous to lay our 
wants in prayer before God, who, being 
omniscient, already knows them, and who, 
being the ineffable Goodness, is ever ready 
to supply them ; for we do not pray merely 
to inform God of our needs, for " our 



ON PRAYER. 33 

Father in heaven knoweth that we have 
need of all these things" (Mat. vi. 32). 
Nor do we pray because we doubt His 
goodness and strive to soften His hard- 
heartedness by our suppHcations, for " God 
loveth us with an everlasting love '' (Jer. 
xxxi. 3), and is far more ready to give to 
us than we are eager to ask and receive. 
Nor do we imagine that our prayers will 
cause divine providence to alter its decrees. 
But rather we pray, because it is the eter- 
nal divine decree that we should through 
prayer obtain and appropriate those graces 
and benefits which, out of His eternal love, 
God has destined for us. Do not men 
themselves require that he who desires their 
help should at least mention it to them ? 
And would not he be undeserving of assist- 
ance, who would be too proud, too obsti- 
nate, too light-minded, to ask for it ? There 
are three principal reasons why we should 



34 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

receive only through prayer the graces and 
gifts God has in store for us. First, we, 
as rational beings, should by prayer ac- 
knowledge God as the Giver of all that is 
good. Secondly, we, as free beings, should 
by prayer open and prepare our heart to 
receive grace. Just as in order to see we 
must open our eyes to the light, as in 
order to nourish ourselves we must eat our 
food, so should our soul, by means of 
prayer, appropriate divine grace to itself. 
What we have obtained by most earnest 
and persistent prayer, we esteem more 
highly and put to greater profit. Finally, 
aware of the necessity of prayer, we should 
be induced to keep God always in view, 
to converse with Him reverently and with 
childlike confidence, and thereby unite our- 
selves always more and more closely to Him. 
For the very reason that God has im- 
posed prayer as an indispensable obligation 



ON PRAYER. 35 

upon us, we should not entertain the least 
doubt of its power and efficacy. For why 
would God prescribe prayer, if He did not 
really intend to grant us what we pray for ? 
Could He be so cruel as to excite us to 
hope for favors, and at the same time 
deceive us ? Could He be so hard-hearted 
as to refuse and withhold the very things 
He commands us to ask of Him ? The 
clear, express and solemn words of our 
divine Saviour leave us no room for doubt 
on this subject : " Ask and you shall re- 
ceive, seek and you shall find, knock and 
it shall be opened unto you. Therefore I 
say unto you : all things, whatsoever you 
ask when you pray, believe that you shall 
receive, and they shall come unto you. 
Amen, amen, I say unto you : if you ask 
the Father anything in My name. He will 
give it to you " (Mat. vii. 7 ; Mark xi. 24; 
John xvi. 23). Our Lord makes no excep- 



36 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

tion either as to the person asking, or as 
to the thing asked. After this solemn 
assurance of our Saviour, we no longer 
have to rely merely on the free divine 
goodness to obtain from God all that we 
pray for, but also on the divine veracity 
and fideHty, which cannot possibly fail. 
Moreover, since our divine Redeemer, as 
the apostle teaches, prays for us in heaven 
as our Mediator, and the Holy Ghost in 
us supports our prayers " by ineffable 
groanings," and since the Most Blessed 
Virgin Mary adds her powerful interces- 
sion for us, and our glorified brethren in 
heaven cause their influence with God to 
be felt in our behalf, and the prayers of 
the Church also and of all the just benefit 
us, we can easily understand how it is that 
the masters of the spiritual life so greatly 
exalt the power and efficacy of prayer. 
" If thou wishest," says St. Bonaventure, 



ON PRAYER. 37 

" to endure adversity patiently, be a man 
of prayer ; if thou wishest to conquer 
temptation and mental anxiety, to overcome 
the emotions of the passions, to discover 
the wiles of Satan and escape his snares, 
to live cheerfully in the service of God 
and walk undisturbed in the way of cares 
and tribulations, be a man of prayer. If 
thou wishest to lead a spiritual life and 
resist the lusts and desires of sensuality, to 
banish proud and evil thoughts, to fill thy 
soul with holy and good thoughts and 
aspirations and devout sentiments, be a 
man of prayer. If thou wishest to 
strengthen thy heart in God's service with 
a manly spirit and steadfast resolutions, to 
extirpate thy faults and to enrich thyself 
with virtues, be a man of prayer." 
*^ Prayer," says St. John Chrysostom, " is 
a haven for the tempest-tossed, an anchor 
for those that are at the mercy of the 



38 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

waves, a staff for the tottering, a treasure 
for the poor, security for the rich, a pre- 
servative against and a cure of disease, and 
a protection of health. Prayer insures our 
spiritual goods against loss, and quickly 
changes the evils that oppress us. It en- 
ables us to resist all allurements to sin, 
and to bear up manfully with loss of goods 
and adversity. Prayer is a place of refuge 
against sadness, the basis of cheerfulness, 
the cause of constant joy, the source of 
true wisdom. He who can pray earnestly, 
however great his poverty, is richer than 
all others ; but he who neglects prayer, 
were he even seated on a throne, is the 
poorest of all. . . . Prayer is the most 
powerful of weapons and an inexhaustible 
treasure. . . . What cannot be effected by 
wealth, art and skill, by the experience of 
physicians and by the greatest influence, 
has been successfully achieved by the prayer 



ON PRAYER. 39 

of a poor and destitute person. . . . The 
power of prayer has already extinguished 
the power of fire, tamed the fury of wild 
beasts, put an end to wars and conflicts, 
dispelled storms, expelled the evil spirits, 
opened the gates of heaven, burst asunder 
the bonds of death, and averted injury 
and misfortune/' 

According to the testimony of Holy 
Scripture and of history, all those who have 
prayed properly have always obtained what- 
ever they asked. Often the Lord rescued 
them from desperate situations, and this not 
unfrequently by astonishing miracles. In 
prayer the saints had everything in their 
power; they raised their voice, and nature 
altered its course. " Sighs ascended to 
heaven," says St. Augustine, " and miracles 
descended." By prayer David obtained the 
pardon of his sins, Solomon the spirit of 
wisdom, Ezechias the prolongation of his 



40 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

life, Manasses the soothing of God's wrath, 
the Machabees the most decisive victory 
over the enemies of their nation, the apos- 
tles the successful and rapid spread of the 
Gospel, and the Church her triumph over 
the most bloody persecutions and the most 
fearful storms. 

But besides obtaining for us gifts and 
graces, prayer bears manifold heavenly fruits, 
among which the following are the principal. 
First, in prayer our mind is always more and 
more enlightened, and we learn to know God 
better, to detach our heart ever more and 
more from all that is earthly and mean, and 
to raise it towards that which is more noble 
and heavenly, and we become more and 
more conversant and united with God, and 
make progress in perfection. Secondly, in 
prayer we exercise very many virtues, and 
especially faith, hope, charity, humility, and 
since it is necessary to overcome sloth, 



ON PRAYER. 41 

sensuality and inconstancy, in order to pray 
well, we exercise also self-denial and con- 
stancy. Thirdly, prayer, when offered in 
the state of grace, is highly meritorious, and 
increases sanctifying grace and the heavenly 
reward. Fourthly, by prayer we become 
always more and more similar to God. Just 
as we contract the manners of those with 
whom we frequently associate, so also the 
soul that associates much with God in 
prayer, becomes like God. " Since those 
who associate with the learned and the 
wise," says St. John Chrysostom, " soon 
acquire a tinge of learning and education, 
what must happen to him who has frequent 
intercourse in prayer with God — the sub- 
limest and eternal Wisdom ! How wise, 
how virtuous, how temperate and holy will 
he not soon become ! " Fifthly, prayer con- 
soles us in suffering, calms anxiety, and fills 
with joy and a foretaste of heavenly bliss. 



42 



HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 



On the contrary, he who does not pray 
leads a God-forsaken, sad and gloomy life, 
and becomes gradually more and more simi- 
lar to irrational animals and to the evil spirits, 
which neither do nor can pray. 

It is clear that all this does not apply to 
that kind of prayer which consists only in 
the motion of the lips and the sound of the 
voice. The prayer that truly gives honor to 
God and obtains His grace, is an exercise of 
both mind and heart, and of the heart espe- 
cially, for it is the heart principally that 
prays. The prayer that remains within the 
mind and heart is called mental prayer. 
When the devout prayer of the heart is 
expressed in words, it is called vocal prayer. 

Mental prayer is the most excellent form 
of prayer. We should, nevertheless, not 
depreciate or neglect vocal prayer, which, 
when united with interior devotion, is pleas- 
ing to God and very profitable to us in 



ON PRAYER. 43 

several ways. First, it comprises an essen- 
tial part of divine service and pays to God 
the homage which our whole being, our 
body as well as our soul, owes to God. It 
is meet and just that we praise God, not in 
our heart only, but also with our lips. 
Secondly, it pertains to human nature to 
express in words the sentiments of the heart. 
Thirdly, when vocal prayer is becomingly 
said, our mind is recollected and our devo- 
tion nourished and increased. Fourthly, in 
both the Old and New Testaments God 
approved and commanded vocal prayer. 
Jesus Christ said vocal prayers and taught 
the most excellent of vocal prayers to His 
apostles. The Church herself prescribes in 
the Divine Office many vocal prayers to be 
recited daily by the clergy and by religious. 
Some persons recite many vocal prayers ; 
this is very well, provided their heart is 
moved and their piety and devotion pro- 



44 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

moted thereby. But a mere motion of the 
lips, without sincerity and devotion of the 
heart, is displeasing to God and bears no 
fruit. Others say but few vocal prayers ; 
this is far better, if it is done with the in- 
tention of devoting more time to mental 
prayer. In this kind of prayer there is no 
need of restriction as to the length of time 
spent therein, provided only that we make 
it as well as we can. 

The prayer we offer in secret is specially 
wholesome and powerful, first, on account 
of our greater recollection ; secondly, be- 
cause we thereby shun all danger of hypoc- 
risy ; thirdly, because it indicates a special 
love of prayer and a lively faith. We 
should, then, pray much in secret and in 
solitude, according to our Saviour's admoni- 
tion, "When thou prayest, go into thy 
chamber, lock the door and pray in secret 
to thy heavenly Father" (Mat. vi. 6). 



ON PRAYER. 45 

Prayer said in common and in public 
possesses special efficacy, already on account 
of the union of faith, hope and charity of 
many, and also particularly on account of 
our divine Saviour's promise : " I say to 
you, that if two of you shall consent upon 
earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they 
shall ask, it shall be done to them by My 
Father who is in heaven. For where there 
are two or three gathered together in My 
name, there I am in the midst of them " 
(Mat. xviii. 19, 20). Hence, every one 
should gladly pray in common with others, 
both in public in the church and at home 
with the inmates of the house at morning 
and night prayers and other family devo- 
tions. From this it follows that it is profita- 
ble to us and pleasing to God to join pious 
confraternities, in order to share in the 
prayers of others, to recommend one's self 
to their prayers, as St. Paul does in every 



46 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

one of his epistles to the Christians of his 
day. 

We should and may pray only for what is 
good and pleasing to God. But only that 
is good and pleasing to Him which conduces 
to His honor and to the salvation of our- 
selves or of our fellow-men. In the first 
place, there are certain divine gifts that are 
conducive to God's honor and our salvation 
always and under all circumstances. These 
are divine grace, the forgiveness of sins. 
Christian virtue and justice, perseverance in 
the state of grace, a good death, and eternal 
happiness. Secondly, there are things that 
may either promote our salvation or lead to 
our ruin, and of which we do not know 
whether, in our case, they are profitable or 
injurious to God's honor and our salvation. 
Such are temporal goods, e.g., health, success 
in our undertakings, temporal prosperity, and 
deliverance from physical evils and suffer- 



ON PRAYER, 47 

ings either of body or of soul. We should, 
first of all, and frequently and uncondition- 
ally pray for those divine graces that are 
always conducive to God's honor and our 
salvation. These prayers are always granted. 
We should, before all, pray for the forgive- 
ness of our sins and for all the graces neces- 
sary to obtain it, and then for victory over 
temptations to sin. We may also pray to 
be wholly free from temptations ; but, as 
temptations in themselves are not evil, 
and may be useful and even necessary to 
strengthen our virtue and maintain us in 
humiHty and watchfulness, God does not 
always grant this prayer, but then He will 
always give us the grace to overcome the 
temptation, if, on our part, we make use of 
the proper means. We have a remarkable 
illustration of this in St. Paul, whose prayer 
to be freed from a great temptation was not 
granted, in order that he might have the 



48 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

merit of combating it and of perfecting him- 
self in virtue. " There was given me," he 
writes, "a sting of my flesh, an angel of 
Satan, to buffet me. For which thing I 
thrice besought the Lord, that it might 
depart from me. And He said to me. My 
grace is sufficient for thee, for virtue is made 
perfect in infirmity'' (2 Cor. xii. 7-9). 
Finally, we should pray for all the Christian 
virtues, especially for those we need the 
most and of which we are most destitute. 
Let us often pray for an increase of faith, 
hope and charity, for true humility, chastity 
in accordance with our state of life, meekness 
and the graces necessary to fulfil the duties 
of our state, for the grace always to receive 
the sacraments worthily, the grace of prayer, 
the love of Jesus Christ, a childlike confidence 
in the Mother of God, and especially for the 
last and greatest of all graces — the grace of 
final perseverance and a holy death. 



ON PRAYER. 49 

As to temporal goods and deliverance 
from temporal and physical evils, we may 
pray for them also with confidence, yet 
under this condition, " If such be the will 
of God, if it be conducive to God's honor 
and profitable to our salvation/' 

First of all and before all we should pray 
for ourselves, for our own salvation, and 
then for our neighbor's salvation also, just 
as for our own, for we should love our 
neighbor as ourselves. In a special manner 
we should pray first for those with whom 
we are connected, not only as fellow-beings, 
but also by special ties and duties, viz. : for 
all related to us, such as our parents, our 
children, brothers and sisters, relatives, 
friends, those subject to us, and then for 
our spiritual and temporal superiors. Pa- 
rents, pastors, and teachers should bear in 
mind that, without fervent prayer, they 
cannot effect anything for the salvation 



50 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL UFE. 

of those intrusted to them. Secondly, we 
should pray for those who stand in greater 
need of our prayers, that is, (i) heretics, 
unbelievers and sinners, for all who are in 
great danger of their salvation. Hence 
there is nothing more exalted, or more chari- 
table and meritorious, than the prayer for 
the conversion of sinners. — (2) The inno- 
cent in danger of sin and seduction, espe- 
cially for the youth who are nowadays so 
exposed to spiritual dangers. — (3) The dying 
in the agony of death. There are men dy- 
ing at every second of time. — (4) The suf- 
fering souls in purgatory, who so greatly 
long for our suffrages and are so worthy of 
them. In the third place, since our salva- 
tion and that of all men depends chiefly on 
the propagation and prosperity of the true 
religion, — the Church of God on earth, — 
we ought always fervently to pray for the 
holy Catholic Church, for her head, our 



ON PRAYER. 51 

holy Father the Pope, for our Bishop, for 
our pastors, and for the clergy and the reli- 
gious orders. We should implore God to 
preserve His Church from all internal and 
external enemies, from schisms and scandals, 
and beseech Him to give His people good, 
pious, zealous priests, and increase faith, 
charity and all Christian virtues in our 
parish, and generally among all Christians. 
When thou wishest to pray, first collect 
thy thoughts according to the admonition 
of the Holy Ghost, " Before prayer pre- 
pare thy soul, and be not as a man that 
tempteth God" (Eccl. xviii. 23). Banish all 
foreign thoughts, and, by a short and fer- 
vent act of faith, place thyself in the presence 
of God, considering that God is present 
near thee, in thy very heart, and knows its 
every thought and affection. In the next 
place, since God hears only such as have a 
pure, or at least a penitent, heart, and since 



52 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

the prayer of the impenitent is "an abomi- 
nation before Him " (Prov. xxviii. 9), accus- 
tom thyself before prayer to awaken within 
thee a short but fervent act of contrition 
and divine love, and to humble thyself 
before God, " Thou shalt not, O God, 
despise a contrite and humbled heart " 
(Ps. 1. 19), Then in thy prayer speak to 
God with all reverence and with the utmost 
confidence. With reverence, speak as a 
lowly sinful creature to thy Creator and 
sovereign Lord. This reverence should 
pervade thy interior and, at the same time, 
be expressed in thy exterior deportment. 
Hence, whenever possible, pray kneeling 
and with joined hands. It is especially in 
church that thou shouldst take a modest 
and respectful posture, for, on the one hand, 
thou art obliged to do this out of due rever- 
ence to thy Saviour present in the Blessed 
Sacrament ; and, on the other hand, it is not 



ON PRAYER. 53 

enough that thou refrain from giving scan- 
dal to those present, but thou art bound 
also to edify them by thy conduct. The 
principal power of prayer, however, consists 
in a childHke confidence ; hence our Saviour 
taught us to address God as — Our Father. 
And St. Paul says, "You have not received 
the spirit of bondage again in fear ; but you 
have received the spirit of adoption of sons, 
whereby we cry, Abba (Father) '' (Rom. 
viii. 15). Hence not as distrustful servants 
with a severe master, but as children with 
a most loving father, or with their tender 
mother, should we speak with God, with 
our Saviour. And even the greatest sinner, 
if he be truly contrite, may and should go 
to God with a similar childlike confidence, 
and, like the prodigal son to his father, 
should thus speak to God. " Beloved 
Father, I have, indeed, sinned grievously, 
and deserve nought but punishment; but 



54 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Thou art still my Father, forgive me; I 
will earnestly strive to amend my life." 
In the next place, we should endeavor to 
pray with fervor and recollection. Distrac- 
tions, to which we have not given occasion 
and which we do not like, but try to banish, 
should not disturb us. It does not depend 
entirely upon us to be free from all distrac- 
tions ; the inconstancy and weakness of our 
mind is so great, that it is almost impossible 
for us to attend to the meaning of the words 
we pronounce for any length of time with- 
out distraction. Sensible unction and con- 
tinuous devotion in prayer are a great 
delight ; but he who combats the distractions 
and perseveres in prayer, notwithstanding 
dryness of spirit, obtains many graces and 
great merits. In general, good Christians 
should not be uneasy or despondent, if, as 
they imagine, prayer does not succeed with 
them, or if they experience therein no inte- 



ON PRAYER. 55 

rior consolation or enjoyment. The fruit of 
prayer does not make its appearance during, 
but after, prayer. He who, by means of 
prayer, becomes better, stronger in virtue, 
more humble, more patient, more faithful 
in the duties of his state, more considerate 
and charitable towards his fellow-men, has 
prayed well, very well indeed, however dry 
and distracted he may have been. "The very 
apprehension that we may not pray well," 
says St. Augustine, " is an excellent prayer." 
Finally, in order to be heard, we should 
pray in the name of Jesus Christ ; that is, 
we must hope and desire that our prayers 
be heard, not on account of our worthiness 
and merits, as the proud pharisee desired, 
nor on account of the excellence of our 
prayer, or as if we had a right to be heard, 
but solely and only on account of the merits 
of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our 
Saviour. Let us before concluding our 



56 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

prayers beseech the heavenly Father through 
Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, through His 
bitter passion and death and His precious 
blood shed for us. Let us turn also to the 
Sacred Heart of Jesus Himself, for He says 
to us, " If you ask Me any thing in My 
name, that I will do*' (John xiv. 14). Let 
us, in consideration of our unworthiness and 
weaknesses, beseech the holy angels and the 
saints, and especially the holy Mother of 
God, whose influence with her Son is unlim- 
ited, to assist us by their intercession, and 
then we may confidently expect to receive 
what we pray for. 



CHAPTER III. 

Method of Meditation. 

To meditate means in general nothing 
else than to reflect seriously on some sub- 
ject. Meditation, as mental prayer, is a 
serious reflection on some religious truth or 
event, united with reference and application 
to ourselves, in order thereby to excite in us 
certain pious sentiments — such as contri- 
tion, humility, faith, hope, charity, etc. — 
and to move our will to form good resolu- 
tions conformable to these pious sentiments. 
Such an exercise has naturally a beneficial 
influence on our soul and greatly conduces 
to enlighten our mind and to move our will 
to practise virtue. This is confirmed by the 

57 



58 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

experience of all the fervent servants of God, 
who not only were themselves zealously 
addicted to this kind of prayer, but also 
earnestly recommended it to all Christians 
who have at heart their salvation and the 
perfection compatible with their state. " Fer- 
vent meditation," says St. Thomas, " enlight- 
ens the understanding, dispels ignorance, 
inflames the will with holy desires, and turns 
its attention to divine things." St. Bernard 
thus recommends it : " Mental prayer 
purifies the soul, directs our inclinations, 
regulates our actions and morals, corrects 
our faults and sanctifies our life." St. Teresa 
was so persuaded of the efficacy of this 
means of salvation, that she asserted that he 
who daily devotes a quarter of an hour to 
mental prayer cannot be lost. As many do 
not practise this kind of prayer under the 
plea that it is too difficult, we give here a 
method of meditation according to St. Igna- 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 59 

tius, from which every one can perceive that 
mental prayer is something so natural to the 
soul, that there can be no great difficulty in 
practising it. 

Remote Preparation. Lay aside all that 
hinders meditation, — such as a worldly 
spirit, distractions, — and practise what pro- 
motes it, that is, mortification, self-denial, 
recollection. 

Proximate Preparation. Carefully read the 
subject of meditation on the preceding 
evening, and determine not only the points 
of the meditation together with the prepara- 
tion, but also more especially the fruit thou 
intendest to draw therefrom corresponding 
to the present state of thy soul. When 
retiring to rest reflect on the subject of 
meditation. At awakening turn thy thoughts 
to it again, and occupy thyself with it while 
dressing and during thy other duties until 
the time of meditation. Before beginning 



6o HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

it, recollect thyself, considering before whom 
thou art, what thou intendest to do, with 
whom thou wishest to speak, and with a 
very lively faith represent God as present to 
thyself; then kneel down and fervently 
recite the 

Preparatory Prayer. O my God, I firmly 
believe that Thou art here present, and I 
acknowledge that, because of my sins, I am 
wholly unworthy to appear in Thy holy 
presence. Trusting, nevertheless, in Thy in- 
finite goodness and mercy, I venture to speak 
to Thee, to call upon Thy holy Name, and 
to meditate on Thy teachings and command- 
ments, in order always to know better and 
fulfil more faithfully Thy holy will. En- 
lighten, then, my understanding that I may 
discover what I should do or omit in order 
to promote my salvation, that I may, with 
my whole heart, repent of my sins and of 
my neglect and want of fidelity in Thy scr- 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 6i 

vice, and resolve to perform all that Thou 
requirest of me. Grant me especially the 
grace to know Jesus Christ, my Redeemer 
and Guide, always better and better, so that 
I may love Him more ardently, and may, 
after His example, labor, combat and suffer 
with generosity and self-sacrifice. 

First Prelude. Vividly represent to thyself 
the place, the persons, or at least an image 
of the subject of the meditation, in order to 
prevent distractions, more easily grasp the 
truth itself and more deeply impress it on 
thy mind. Thus thou wilt have less diffi- 
culty in bringing back thy mind, when it 
wanders, to the subject of meditation. 

Second Prelude. Pray to God to enlighten 
thy understanding and stir up thy will, that 
thou mayst obtain the fruit thou seek- 
est from the meditation, such as the giving 
up of some fault, or the acquisition of some 
virtue. Take a suitable position ; do not let 



6z HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

thy eyes wander about, but keep them either 
closed or quietly fixed on some object, e.g.^ on 
a crucifix, or a picture of Our Lady, etc. 

The Meditation is thus made. Begin by 
exercising thy memory briefly on one point 
after another, so that if a point contains 
some practical teaching, thou representest it 
as given to thee — and by whom. If, how- 
ever, it contains some fact, thou shouldst 
represent it to thyself with all its principal 
circumstances, just as if it were enacted be- 
fore thy eyes ; and then thou canst ask thy- 
self: Who did this? How? When? 
Where ? Why, etc. ? 

Exercise of the Understanding. Thou next 
reflectest more closely on what .thy memory 
represented to thee, in order to penetrate the 
meaning of the truth under consideration, 
to understand its reasons, to acknowledge 
its importance, to weigh well its conse- 
quences, and thus clearly and vividly grasp 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 63 

what thou canst apply to thyself. To 
facilitate this reflection, answer the following 
questions: (i) What should I especially 
consider in this truth, in this fact? — (2) What 
can and should I learn therefrom? — (3) 
What am I actually required to perform ? — 
(4) Who imparts this doctrine, this hint, 
this command ? — (5) How have I hitherto 
acted ? Does my past life, my past conduct, 
agree with the teaching or truth on which I 
am meditating ? What are the usual causes 
and inducements of my past shortcomings ? 
On what occasions do I generally fall ? — 
(6) How should I act in future, and already 
on this very day, on such and such an 
occasion? — (7) How suitable, how necessary, 
how easy, how difficult, how useful, how 
agreeable, is it for me to do this ? What 
have I to hope by doing it ? What to fear 
if I do not ? How have the saints acted in 
such cases ? How would my Saviour, the 



64 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

most Blessed Virgin, my holy Patrons act, 
were they in my place ? — (8) What obstacles 
must I remove, what means employ, to 
overcome the inordinate inclinations which, 
as I know, are the principal sources of my 
wrong-doing ? 

Exercise of the JVilL This is done by often 
awakening, during the foregoing considera- 
tions, pious sentiments of contrition, love, 
thanksgiving, admiration, shame, fear, confi- 
dence and the like, as may be appropriate 
to the subject meditated. But thou shouldst 
especially make good resolutions for the 
future, and particularly for the present day. 
Thy resolutions should be earnest and sin- 
cere, not too general, and suited to thy pres- 
ent wants and circumstances. In making 
them thou shouldst endeavor to foresee the 
obstacles and difficulties in the way, and like- 
wise the means and manner of removing and 
overcoming them. 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 65 

It matters not in what order the three 
aforesaid faculties are exercised during medi- 
tation, and it is still less necessary to classify 
them, that is, to define or ascertain to which 
faculty each operation belongs. The prin- 
cipal thing is to acknowledge the truth, to 
take it earnestly to heart and to be moved 
thereby to amend our life and make progress 
in virtue. 

Having gone through the first point in 
this way, thou mayst proceed in like manner 
with the second point, and then with the 
third. But so long as thy mind or thy 
heart finds nourishment in any point or 
thought, thou shouldst dwell thereon, even 
if this would take up the whole time allotted 
to the meditation. What remains of it may 
serve for the next day's meditation. 

When we speak with God in the exercise 
of the will and in awakening in us pious 
affections and good resolutions, we should 



66 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

show greater reverence, not only interiorly, 
but also in our exterior deportment. 

If thou sufFerest from distractions or 
spiritual dryness, beware of interrupting, 
shortening or giving up the meditation for 
this reason. On the contrary, be persuaded 
that, if thou bear this trial with patience and 
resignation, humbling thyself before God 
and persevering in prayer, thou canst gain 
many graces and much merit. 

At the end of the meditation collect thy 
resolutions together, and, in the form of a 
colloquy, beseech the Blessed Virgin to 
obtain for thee the grace to perform them 
conscientiously, saying a Hail Mary to this 
intention. Then, with the same object in 
view, turn to thy divine Saviour as to thy 
Mediator with the Father and recite this 
beautiful prayer of St. Ignatius. 

Soul of Christ, sanctify me. — Body of 
Christ, save me. — Blood of Christ, inebriate 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 67 

me. — Water from the side of Christ, wash 
me. — Passion of Christ, strengthen me. — 
O good Jesus, hear me. — Within thy 
wounds hide me. — Permit me not to be 
separated from Thee. — From the maHgnant 
enemy defend me. — In the hour of my 
death call me. — And bid me come to 
Thee. — That with Thy saints I may 
praise Thee. — Forever and ever. Amen. 

Finally, with the same intention, turn to 
God the Father and devoutly recite the 
Our Father. 

These colloquies should be carried on as 
if a friend were speaking with a friend, a 
servant with his employer, a child with his 
father, a patient with his physician, by im- 
ploring some grace, or accusing one's self 
of a past fault, or making known one's 
doubts or difficulties, etc., and begging 
counsel and assistance. 

Choose an aspiration or a text of Scrip- 



68 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

ture, or a short saying that resumes briefly 
the whole meditation. Repeat it often 
during the day at thy work, and especially 
during temptation, that thou mayst re- 
member the resolution of thy meditation 
and thy promise to God. 

Finally, examine how thou didst make thy 
meditation by answering these questions : 
(i) How did I make the preparation? — 
(2) Did I on the eve read or listen with 
attention to the meditation, when it was 
read, and appoint both preludes and the 
fruit to be drawn from it? — (3) Did I 
recall the points before falling asleep? — 
(4) Did I on awakening reflect on them, 
and also while dressing and during the 
rest of the time until the hour of medita- 
tion? — (5) How did I conduct myself 
during meditation ? — (6) Was I calm and 
recollected at the beginning ? — (7) Did I 
devoutly say the preparatory prayer ? — 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 69 

(8) How did I make the two preludes ? — 

(9) Did I call to mind the subject of 
meditation ? — (10) Did I perform well the 
exercise of the understanding? — (11) What 
lights did I receive? — (12) What con- 
solations or distractions did I have? — 
(13) How did I act with regard to the 
distractions, or during the time of dry- 
ness? — (14) Did I endeavor to exercise 
the affections and the will more than the 
understanding ? — (15) Was the position of 
my body appropriate, showing greater rev- 
erence during the exercise of the will 
than during that of the understanding? — 
(16) Did I dwell on each point as long as 
I found nourishment therein? — (17) Did 
I engage in colloquy with God, or with 
Mary or the saints? — (18) Did I devote 
the whole of the prescribed time to 
meditation? — If we discover that our 
meditation was well made, let us thank 



70 



HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 



God and resolve to do as well the next 
time. If our meditation was a failure, in 
whole or in part, let us examine why it 
was so, repent of our want of fidelity and 
resolve to be more conscientious the next 
time. 

It promotes greatly our spiritual life to 
keep a memorandum of the special lights 
received during meditation, and of our 
most important resolutions, and to read 
them from time to time, especially on our 
monthly retreat days. 

SYNOPSIS OF THE METHOD OF MEDITATION. 



PREPARATION. 



Remote, 

I. Remove the obstacles (world- 
liness, distractions, etc.). 

^. Practice what is required (hu- 
mility, mortification, recol- 
lection, etc.). 
Preparatory Prayer, p. 6©. 



Proximate. 



Read the subject on the eve 
and reflect thereon on retiring 
and on rising. 

Begin calmly and with recol- 
lection, by placing thyself in 
God*s presence and kneeling 
down. 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 71 

THE BEGINNING. 

First Prelude. Represent to thyself the 
place, the personages, or an image of the 
subject of meditation. 

Second Prelude. Pray for light for thy 
understanding' and for inspiration for thy 
will, that thou mayst derive the special fruit 
of this meditation. 

THE MIDDLE. 

Thy memory places the subject of medita- 
tion before the mind : who ? what ? where ? 
how ? when ? why ? 

The understanding reflects on the subject : 
(i) What should I specially consider in this 
subject ? — (2) What practical conclusion 
should I draw therefrom? — (3) How have 
I hitherto observed this? — (4) How 
should I observe it in future? — (5) Why? 
Is it meet (for me as man, as Christian, etc.) 



72 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

— useful for both this life and the next — 
easy and agreeable (grace of God, peace of 
mind), necessary? — (6) What obstacles must 
I remove ? What means should I use ? 

The will is exercised during the whole 
meditation, first, by pious affections, acts of 
admiration, gratitude, self-humiliation, fear, 
love, contrition, confidence, desire ; secondly, 
by special good resolutions to be performed 
that very day. 

THE END. 

Colloquy with Mary as our advocate with 
Jesus. — Hail Mary. — With Jesus as our 
Mediator with the Father. — Soul of Christ, 
etc., p. 66. — With God the Father. — Our 
Father. 

Choice of a saying or of a pious aspira- 
tion, which may remind thee during the day 
of thy resolution. 



METHOD OF MEDITATION. 73 

RETROSPECT. 

1. Examine how thou didst make the 
meditation. If well, thank God and resolve 
to make it always well. If poorly, be sorry 
for it, seek and remove the causes. 

2. Review once more the whole truth 
meditated upon, especially what may have 
enlightened thee or caused thee dryness ; 
renew and confirm thy resolutions, and note 
down thy special lights. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Three Other Methods of Prayer. 

Not all persons can pray and meditate in 
the same way. Some cannot long keep 
their minds fixed on a subject; others find 
it very difficult to reflect. A person may, 
on account of the state of the body or of 
the mind, not be able to meditate for a 
length of time according to the method 
given above. We therefore give here the 
three simpler and easier methods of prayer 
laid down by St. Ignatius in his Spiritual 
Exercises. St. Francis Xavier was wont to 
recommend most earnestly to all the first of 
these methods, and even impose it on his 
penitents as a penance to be performed 
morning and evening. 

74 



THREE OTHER METHODS OF PRAYER. 75 
FIRST METHOD OF PRAYER. 

It consists in quietly recollecting one's 
self and, after a short preparatory prayer, 
in reflecting tranquilly and simply on the 
commandments of God, on the seven capital 
sins, the three powers of the soul, the five 
senses of the body, for as long as it takes 
to recite three Our Fathers and three Hail 
Marys, somewhat as follows : — 

I. At each commandment of God reflect 
(i) how good, meet, just and holy it is; 

(2) what great advantages its observance, 
and what injury its transgression entails ; 

(3) how we have hitherto observed it. If 
we have faithfully kept it, let us thank God 
and resolve to continue to observe it in 
future. If we have transgressed it, let us 
excite ourselves to contrition, crave pardon 
for our sins and the remittance of the 
punishment deserved, resolve to amend. 



76 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

imploring of God the grace to do so, and 
say the Our Father. If we get through 
with one commandment before the time of 
the meditation is up, we should proceed in 
the same manner with another command- 
ment. Having thus gone through several 
commandments, let us accuse ourselves be- 
fore God of our transgressions, pray for 
grace and assistance henceforth to observe 
them more faithfully, and conclude by a 
prayer full of childlike confidence in God 
our Lord. 

II. At each of the seven capital sins con- 
sider, first, its great malice and how meet it is 
that it should be forbidden ; secondly, what 
great injury it does to those who commit it ; 
thirdly, whether and how we have hitherto 
avoided it, and intend henceforth to avoid 
it. This is to be done, not as if we were 
examining our conscience as a preparation 
for confession, but only in general, without 



THREE OTHER METHODS OF PRAYER. -]-] 

thinking of any special sinful act. In order 
the better to acknowledge our past faults, we 
should carefully consider the opposite vir- 
tue ; and, in order the more surely to avoid 
them in future, we should strive to prac- 
tise and acquire the contrary virtue. 

III. At each of the three powers of the 
soul — memory, understanding, will — and 
of the five senses of the body, consider, first, 
how noble, useful and necessary it is ; sec- 
ondly, for what purpose it has been given 
to thee ; thirdly, how Jesus Christ and the 
Blessed Virgin made use of it; fourthly, 
how thou hast employed it; and fifthly, 
how thou intendest to use it henceforth. 

He who wishes to take our Lord Jesus 
Christ as his Model in the use of his senses, 
should, in the preparatory prayer, recom- 
mend himself to Him, and after considering 
each sense, recite an Our Father or a Hail 
Mary. He who intends to imitate the 



78 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Blessed Virgin Mary in the use of his 
senses, ought, in the preparatory prayer, 
specially to recommend himself to her, that 
she may obtain for him from her divine Son 
the necessary grace, and recite a Hail Mary 
after the consideration of each sense. 

SECOND METHOD OF PRAYER. 

It is made in this manner. After recol- 
lecting ourselves a few moments and reciting 
an appropriate preparatory prayer, we should 
kneel or sit, just as we prefer, or, in order to 
be more recollected, remain with our eyes 
closed or fixed on a certain point or object ; 
we should then recite slowly some prayer, e.g., 
an Our Father, a Hail Mary, the Apostles' 
Creed, the Soul of Christ, the Hail, holy 
Queen, etc., dwelling long enough on each 
word to discover its diverse meanings, and 
to find therein appropriate comparisons, 
spiritual enjoyment and consolation. And 



THREE OTHER METHODS OF PRAYER. 79 

how much of all this is often found in a 
single word ! After this we continue in like 
manner with the rest of the prayer. If in 
one or two words we find matter enough for 
reflection, spiritual enjoyment and consola- 
tion, we should continue to dwell thereon 
even until the end of the meditation. In 
this case we conclude the meditation by 
merely reciting the rest of the prayer, and 
begin our next meditation where we left off 
at the foregoing, after previously reciting that 
part of the prayer on which we have already 
meditated. At the end of the meditation 
we should make short aspirations to whom- 
soever the prayer is addressed, that we may 
obtain the grace or virtue of which we stand 
most in need. 

THIRD METHOD OF PRAYER. 

This method is thus employed. After 
recollecting ourselves for a few moments, 



8o HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and making an appropriate preparatory 
prayer, we should recite some vocal prayer 
so slowly and so devoutly as to take breath 
between each word and reflect on its mean- 
ing. In so doing we direct our attention to 
the saint etc., to whom the prayer is ad- 
dressed, or to our own wretchedness, or to 
the immense distance between that saint's 
grandeur and dignity and our own worthless- 
ness. Having finished the prayer in this 
manner, we spend the remainder of the 
time in reciting some vocal prayers in the 
usual way. We may, if time allows, make 
use of more than one prayer at our medita- 
tion. This method of prayer infuses 
greater reverence for and attention to the 
words of our ordinary prayers. 



CHAPTER V. 

Method of Examination of Conscience. 

In his Spiritual Exercises St. Ignatius 
teaches a twofold examination of conscience, 
— the particular and the general. 

I. THE PARTICULAR EXAMEN. 

Every man has a predominant passion, 
fault, imperfection, or sin, which is, as it 
were, the root and source of all the others. 
The particular examen is the most efficient 
remedy against this evil. Although we 
may have several passions or faults, we 
should, nevertheless, combat one of them in 
a special manner, and after extirpating or 
removing it, we should proceed to combat 

G 8l 



82 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and extirpate the others also, one at a time. 
The following are the prescriptions of St. 
Ignatius on this subject, which he most 
punctually followed till his death. 

First, on rising in the morning at once 
resolve earnestly to avoid carefully during 
the morning the fault thou wishest to com- 
bat and lay aside ; but if thou hast the mis- 
fortune to fall into it, strike thy breast, but 
so, however, as not to be noticed by others. 

Secondly, at noon before dinner, and at 
night before retiring, invoke the Holy Ghost, 
and then review in thy mind each hour 
(works, places, events, persons), from early 
rising, or at noon to the moment of exami- 
nation, to find out how often thou hast fallen 
into the fault thou art striving to extirpate. 
Thou shouldst keep a daily account of the 
number of faults discovered at each exami- 
nation, so that thou mayst compare the result 
of each with the preceding, day by day. 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 83 

and week by week, and thus discover 
whether there is any amendment in thy 
conduct. After this awaken in thy heart 
sincere sorrow, and firmly resolve to do 
better till the next examination. To sim- 
plify this comparison, the account of faults 
committed may be kept thus, using the 
upper line of each day to mark the faults 
committed in the morning, and the lower one 
for the faults committed in the afternoon. 



Sunday j 




Monday | 




Tuesday 




Wednesday 




Thursday j 




Friday | 




Saturday j 



84 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

The space allotted for each day grows 
shorter as the week proceeds, to show that 
the number of thy faults should daily 
diminish. 

With the particular is usually joined 

II. THE GENERAL EXAMINATION OF 
CONSCIENCE. 

This examination of conscience comprises 
all the sins and faults we may commit in 
thought, word, deed and omission, and 
embraces the following points: — 

1. Thanksgiving to God for benefits 
received. 

2. Prayer for grace to know, repent of, 
and shun our faults. 

3. Examination of each sin committed 
in thought, word, deed and omission since 
the previous examination. 

4. Prayer for pardon. 

5. Resolution to amend. — Our Father. 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 85 

HOW TO MAKE THE PARTICULAR AND THE 
GENERAL EXAMEN OF CONSCIENCE. 

At the time appointed make the sign of 
the cross, recollect thyself, and with fervor 
and attention. 

I. Thank God for the benefits conferred 
on thee. 

O my God, I firmly believe that Thou 
art here present, that Thou seest and hearest 
me, and knowest even my most hidden 
thoughts and my innermost affections. In 
profound humihty and awe I adore Thee 
and acknowledge Thee as my Lord and 
God. To Thee I owe all that I am and 
have, both in the order of nature and in that 
of grace. Out of infinite love Thou hast 
created me and preserved me until now out 
of Thy exceedingly great mercy, and kept 
me this day through Thy loving and watch- 
ful providence. The Redemption, through 



86 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Christ's Incarnation and death, and its fruits 
— the vocation to the true faith and sancti- 
fying grace are so many proofs of Thy 
fatherly love for me. For these and innu- 
merable other benefits, both corporal and 
spiritual, received from Thy fatherly hand 
since the beginning of my existence, and 
especially on this day, I thank Thee from 
my inmost heart and will ever remain grate- 
ful to Thee. Hence I intend to retract and 
repair, as far as in me lies, all my past 
ingratitude towards Thy infinite Goodness. 

II. Beseech God for grace to discover all 
thy sins, to repent of them, and to amend 
in all earnestness. 

Come, O Holy Ghost, enlighten my 
mind, that I may know wherein I have 
oflfended the divine Majesty and Goodness. 
Move my heart with Thy grace, that I may 
conceive true sorrow for my faults and sins, 
and efficaciously resolve to amend in future. 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 87 

III. The examination itself should not 
take up more than one-third of the time 
allotted to the examination of conscience, so 
as to leave sufficient time for the requisite 
acts accompanying it. 

Ask of thyself a strict account, first, in 
the particular examen of the fault thou 
art endeavoring to root out ; secondly, in 
the general examen of all the faults com- 
mitted since the previous examination. 

I. At noon ask thyself: How did I 
make the particular examen last night? the 
general ? How did I say my night prayers ? 
Did I retire to rest at the appointed hour ? 
Did I try to occupy myself until I fell 
asleep with thoughts of the morning medi- 
tation ? If I awoke during the night, did I 
begin to pray ? Did I rise as soon as I was 
called ? Did I make my resolution in ac- 
cordance with the subject of my particular 
examen ? Did I think of the meditation 



88 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and occupy myself with thoughts in refer- 
ence to it ? Did I say any prayers while 
dressing ? Did I make my meditation well ? 
Did I devoutly hear Mass? and say the 
divine office devoutly ? Did I employ my 
time well and fulfil my duties faithfully 
in every respect ? Did I endeavor to have 
a good intention in all my actions. 

2. In the evening ask thyself: Did I 
make wel] both examinations of conscience 
at noon ? Did I devoutly say the prayers 
before and after meals ? Did I not commit 
some fault during meals ? Did I make my 
spiritual reading? 

3. In the evening and at noon ask thy- 
self: What special duties had I to perform ? 
What special events happened ? What did 
God then expect of me ? What did I then 
do — will — desire — omit? Examine also 
in particular thy devotion and love towards 
God, whether thou didst omit or carelessly 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 89 

say thy prayers, whether thou didst wilfully 
entertain distractions therein, whether thou 
wert wanting in reverence in the church and 
in recollection and in making a good inten- 
tion ; whether thou didst evince dissatisfac- 
tion and mistrust towards God in adversity ; 
whether thou didst yield to doubts against 
faith ; whether thou wert wanting in obedi- 
ence to thy superiors, or neglected thy 
duties towards thy subjects. Then examine 
the sins thou didst commit against thy 
neighbor through unjust suspicion, rash 
judgments, envy, jealousy, hatred, revenge, 
contempt, anger, quarrelling, fault-finding, 
detraction, slander, unfaithfulness, dishon- 
esty, lying, false accusation, bad example, 
aversion, or inordinate attachment. Finally, 
examine thyself on modesty and holy purity, 
and whether thou didst sin through vanity, 
self-complacency, pride, sensuality, danger- 
ous pleasures, intemperance, wilful sinful 



90 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

thoughts, words and deeds, human respect, 
impatience, pusillanimity, sloth, loss of 
time, etc. 

IV. Humbly repent of thy sins and, what 
is the principal thing, crave for forgiveness. 

O my God, I have unhappily failed to 
keep the promise I made at the last examen. 
I acknowledge and own my fault before 
Thee. Would that I had never offended 
Thee ! Forgive me, O merciful God, the 
sins and faults of this day and of every day 
of my life. Forgive them in consideration 
of the infinite satisfaction offered for them 
by Thy well-beloved Son, my Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, for I repent of them 
with my whole heart, because on account of 
them I have deserved to be punished by 
Thee, but more especially because I have 
been so ungrateful to Thee, my greatest 
Benefactor and most loving Father, and 
because I have offended Thee, the chief 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 91 

and most amiable Good, and have so greatly 
outraged Thy infinite Goodness. O that I 
had never offended Thee ! O Lord, deign 
to show that Thy mercy is greater than my 
wickedness, and grant me the grace to bewail 
my sins bitterly until death. I have sinned, 
O Lord, I have sinned and acknowledge my 
iniquities. Hence I earnestly beseech Thee 
to pardon me. Pardon me, O Lord, and 
cast me not into perdition with my iniquities. 
Be not forever angry with me, and do not 
let me suifer everlasting punishment for 
my guilt, for Thou art God, the God of the 
contrite of heart. 

V. Earnestly resolve, with the help of 
divine grace, to amend. 

My Lord and my God, I solemnly de- 
clare before Thee that I will no longer 
prove ungrateful towards Thee. Relying 
on Thy grace, O God, I now firmly resolve 
never more to commit sin, and especially — 



92 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

(here mention the fault which forms the sub- 
ject of thy particular examen, or the sin 
which on this day has more grievously 
offended God), and, therefore, to flee 
all its occasions, and rather to lose all, to 
suflfer all, than ever to fall into a grievous 
sin. 

MEANS OF PERSEVERING IN ONe's GOOD 
RESOLUTION. 

1. Renew daily thy resolution at prayer, 
at holy Mass, and often during the day, 
especially before certain occasions. 

2. Foresee the occasions of relapse, in 
order to avoid them, or at least to guard 
against them. 

3. If thou relapsest, repent at once. 

4. Every time thou fallest back into thy 
predominant fault, impose on thyself a small 
penance, both as a satisfaction for the fault 
and to increase thy watchfulness. 



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE. 93 

5. Often consider the motives thou hast 
for avoiding certain faults. 

"Were we/' says the Imitation, "to ex- 
tirpate only one fault every year, how soon 
should we become perfect ! " 






CHAPTER VI. 

Points for the Particular Examen dur- 
ing THE Annual Retreat. 

1. Hast thou actually loved retirement 
and left thy room only in case of necessity ? 

2. Didst thou preserve perfect modesty 
in thy conduct, and especially keep a re- 
straint over thy eyes ? 

3. Didst thou banish every thought of 
thy occupations and of worldly things, and 
especially of things foreign to thy retreat ? 

4. Didst thou observe the prescribed 
order of the day and the directions given for 
thy retreat ? 

5. Didst thou employ well thy free time? 

6. Didst thou read other books besides 
those recommended to thee? 

94 



POINTS FOR PARTICULAR EX AMEN. 95 

7. Hast thou been sincere towards thy 
confessor regarding the state of thy soul ? 

8. Didst thou hear Mass devoutly and 
offer it to God, in order to derive fruit from 
the spiritual exercises ? 

9. Didst thou devoutly recite the beads 
and other vocal prayers, and fervently visit 
the Blessed Sacrament and invoke the saints 
of the day ? 

10. Didst thou banish all thoughts, how- 
ever good in themselves, foreign to thy 
spiritual exercises ? 

11. Didst thou carefully refrain from 
laughter and from its occasions, and from 
whatever might induce distractions ? 

12. Didst thou, at the end of the medita- 
tion, carefully examine how thou didst make 
it? 

13. Didst thou note down the lights re- 
ceived and the pious affections and good 
resolutions made during thy meditations ? 



CHAPTER VII. 
On the Confession of Devotion. 

(According to Father Boone.) 

A Confession of devotion is one in which 
we have only such venial faults to confess as 
even the just fall into from time to time. It 
is thus called, because there is no divine 
or ecclesiastical commandment prescribing it. 
It is commanded to confess only mortal sins. 
The Church expressly teaches that venial 
sin may be atoned for by an act of contri- 
tion. The confession of devotion is par- 
ticularly useful for those who earnestly strive 
after Christian perfection and conscientiously 
fulfil the duties of their state, for it assists 
them greatly in attaining perfect purity of 

96 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 



97 



heart and receiving holy Communion with 
greater profit. 

I. Motives for going to confession out of 
devotion. 

1. The Church prescribes confession fcr 
the gaining of certain indulgences. Know- 
ing how useful confession is, even when 
there is no mortal sin to confess, she wishes 
us to purchase the grace of these indul- 
gences at the price of an exercise, which, 
though not strictly necessary, is yet highly 
profitable. 

2. The saints, however holy they were, 
nevertheless went often to confession, and 
some of them even did so daily. This cus- 
tom of frequent confession obtains also in all 
religious associations and confraternities that 
are well regulated and have a good spirit. 

3. There are very few religious orders 
that do not prescribe at least weekly con- 
fession. 

H 



9S HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

4, The advantages of the confession of 
devotion are great and numerous. In the 
first place, venial sins are forgiven by the 
priest's absolution. Their remission is a 
greater gain than the remission of a large 
debt of money or the deliverance from the 
deepest temporal misery. 

Secondly, whenever we receive the sacra- 
ment of Penance with due dispositions, we 
obtain two new graces, provided we place no 
obstacle in the way. By the first the soul, 
previously in the state of grace, becomes still 
more intimately united with Jesus Christ, 
her Spouse. Who can enumerate the spirit- 
ual treasures gained by this more intimate 
union ? Who can express the wonderful 
operations of the Holy Ghost in such a 
soul ? His divine unction at times pro- 
duces therein a cheerfulness of conscience and 
a peace surpassing all comprehension. The 
abundant outpourings of His love impart a 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 99 

fresh life to all good works and render them 
more meritorious. Each of these works 
prepares for the soul an increase of bliss and 
glory in heaven. The second grace imparts 
fresh strength to the soul, enabling her to 
maintain herself in the state of grace and to 
resist the sins to which we, on account of 
our human frailty, are all exposed. And, at 
the same time, the soul acquires greater ease 
in the practice of virtue, and finds but little 
difficulty in accomplishing what she pre- 
viously deemed impossible. 

Thirdly, confession has a higher meaning, 
not only as a sacrament, but also as spiritual 
direction. The confessor endeavors to ex- 
cite in his penitent a lively zeal for salvation 
and Christian perfection, and indicates to 
him the means of rooting out entirely his 
evil inclinations, by which his possession 
of sanctifying grace would be endangered. 
When, moreover, the confessor discovers 



loo HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

hearts that, to their happiness, have reso- 
lutely embraced a life of virtue, he does not 
fear to urge them on still more to the prac- 
tice of the higher virtues, which less ener- 
getic souls dread so much. 

Fourthly, among the exercises of humility 
there is none so difficult to human nature, 
none so meritorious, as confession. This is 
especially the case if we are wont to confess 
certain circumstances of our sins which are 
more humiliating than the sin itself; for in- 
stance, if we confess that we committed a 
certain fault out of envy, of vanity, or for 
the sake of appearing more pious, etc. Per- 
sons endowed with a naturally haughty 
spirit, or who are of a certain social standing 
or influence, do not like to own such motives 
to themselves, and much less to disclose them 
to others. 

Fifthly, experience shows that even good 
Christians, on the day on which they con- 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. loi 

fess or intend to confess, watch more care- 
fully over themselves than on other days. 
The same is true also of the days follow- 
ing confession, and is a fresh proof of the 
advantages derived from frequent confession 
by those who strive to avoid all grievous 
sins. 

Finally, confession is a most appropriate 
preparation for holy Communion, far more 
efficient than the mere exciting one's self 
to contrition, which would suffice, as is well 
known, to enable those to communicate 
who have only venial sins on their con- 
science ; and this is already a great advan- 
tage, regardless of the ease of self-delusion 
in supposing one's self to be guilty of 
venial sins merely, and of the fact that it 
is a strict rule not to omit confession before 
holy Communion without the confessor's 
permission. By the absolution imparted in 
confession, Jesus Christ prepares a dwelling 



I02 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

for Himself in the penitent's soul. He 
purifies it more and more by conferring on 
it the merit of His adorable blood; He 
ennobles all her sentiments and acts of 
virtue, and condescends to adorn in her 
the temple of the Holy Ghost. 

Happy, then, are the faithful souls that 
confess often and, at the same time, pre- 
pare well to receive absolution worthily, 
and this not merely to secure a calm con- 
science, but to become more pleasing to 
our divine Saviour. 

n. Examination of conscience before 
the confession of devotion. 

" We should not torment ourselves," 
says St. Francis de Sales, " when we are 
not conscious of having any serious fault 
to confess ; for it is not credible that a 
soul that often examines her conscience, 
should not remember notable faults, if she 
has committed any. . . . We should not 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 103 

be so narrow-minded as to wish to confess 
all our little imperfections, all our little 
weaknesses. Whenever we perceive them, 
we can speak about them to our divine 
Saviour. An interior act of humility, a 
loving aspiration, will suffice for this. . . . 
We should learn to bear, with a certain 
spiritual elevation, all these little things, 
which we cannot remove, and which usually 
proceed from our imperfect nature. Among 
these are, — our inconstancy of disposition, 
of our resolutions, desires, and the like, to 
which we are and shall ever remain sub- 
ject, so long as we are in this changeable 
and transitory life. . . . These things are 
not sins, but human miseries and incon- 
veniences.'* 

Too long an examination of conscience 
wearies our mind and cools our heart. 
Many, who frequently confess, devote too 
long a time to their examination, trying to 



I04 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

ferret out every little circumstance, and for- 
getting besides — what is most important 
— to excite themselves to contrition and to 
prepare their hearts properly to receive 
absolution. 

How is the examination of conscience 
to be made before the confessions of devo- 
tion ? We should, without worry, uneasi- 
ness, or confusion, employ the time for 
examining our conscience. The scrupulous 
should in this adhere strictly to the direc- 
tions of their confessor. In our examina- 
tion let us attend to the following points : - — 

1. The faults committed wilfully and 
deliberately. 

2. The faults concerning the points spe- 
cially impressed on lis, or concerning which 
grace oftenest reproaches us. 

3. The faults that scandalize or injure 
our neighbor. 

4. The faults which, on account of our 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 105 

past sins, may at some future time cause 
us to relapse into them. 

5. The faults that proceed from our 
unwillingness to make a sacrifice which 
God demands of us in our state of life. 

6. Those faults, which, though incon- 
siderable in themselves, nevertheless indi- 
cate in us a former great and dangerous 
passion, of which they are the remains. 

Then we need do nothing more than 
to classify under one or two heads the 
faults that escape us through human frailty. 

III. Contrition in the confession of 
devotion. 

I. Many assert that they cannot have 
contrition, however much they may try. To 
these St. Francis de Sales answers : " We do 
much with God in trying to will, and we 
have already contrition by the very fact 
that we sincerely desire to have it. Only 
we do not feel it when we desire it. Like 



io6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

the fire smouldering under the ashes with- 
out being seen, it is nevertheless there." 
" Contrition," says Father Quadrupani, 
" essentially consists in an act of the will 
detesting the faults committed and resolved 
never again to commit them." Tears, 
groans, sobs, sensible marks of sorrow, 
then, are not essential parts of true contri- 
tion. Let us not be uneasy at their ab- 
sence. If God refuses us the consolation 
of feeling sorry. He does so in order to 
offer us the opportunity of obeying our 
confessor, telling us not to be uneasy at 
our want of sensible sorrow, and to ap- 
proach the sacraments notwithstanding. 
This should suffice to assure us of our 
perfect reconciliation with God. Let us 
humbly believe the declaration of our con- 
fessor, obey him with courage and self- 
denial, and we shall obtain a twofold 
reward. It is wrong to make violent ef- 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 107 

forts to feel contrition, for they produce 
only confusion, fatigue and discouragement. 
On the contrary, let us endeavor to be 
calm, and say to God with love, that we 
sincerely wish we had never offended Him, 
and that, with the assistance of His grace, 
we will henceforth no more offend Him. 
Such is the sorrow we should try to ac- 
quire, especially by imploring it of our 
Lord, who alone can produce it in our 
heart. 

2. Others complain that they always 
remain the same and can perceive no fruit 
from their frequent confessions. They say 
the very same about their holy Commun- 
ions. But how can any one know that he 
remains always the same and derives no 
profit from his frequent confessions and 
Communions ? Is the penitent a fit judge 
in his own case ? Is it not rather for the 
confessor to judge concerning this? And 



io8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

if he saw not the least fruit, would he con- 
tinue to insist on the penitent's continuing 
his confessions and holy Communions in 
spite of his anxiety ? Is it a sufficient rea- 
son to think that we derive no fruit there- 
from, because we do not see it clearly, or do 
not feel any consolation or spiritual sweet- 
ness therein ? We should bear in mind that 
these sacraments often operate in so hidden 
a manner, as to be scarcely perceptible, for, 
like nature itself, e.g,^ in the growth of a 
tree, grace acts very gradually and invisibly, 
as it were. Moreover, should we not con- 
sider it a gain, not only when we are actu- 
ally making progress, but also when we do 
not fall or go back ? Is it not already a 
great grace to escape falling into mortal 
sin ? The preservative remedies are as pre- 
cious as the curative and strengthening. 
In fine, the power of contrition and of 
good resolutions is seen also when, amid 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 109 

a hundred occasions of sinning, we fall 
only a few times. Had we grown careless 
and made no efforts, and gone less fre- 
quently to confession, we would perhaps 
have committed as many sins as we have 
taken steps. It is, then, no proof of a 
want of contrition, if we usually have the 
same faults to confess. Let us sincerely 
endeavor to approach the sacraments only 
after due preparation, and we shall most 
assuredly derive every time an incompara- 
ble benefit therefrom. Such is the teaching 
of Rodriguez in his Christian Perfection 
(Chap. XIII. of the "Treatise on Holy 
Communion *'), and of other ascetic writers. 
3. By the priest's absolution we obtain 
the forgiveness of those venial sins for 
which we have contrition, even if we are 
not sorry for all the venial sins we confess. 
The reason is, on the one hand, that even 
in the sacrament of Penance we cannot 



no HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

obtain the forgiveness of a sin for which we 
have little or no contrition, and, on the 
other hand, we are not obliged to confess 
our venial sins, and that, if our conscience 
does not reproach us with mortal sins, it 
suffices to confess one or the other venial 
sin with contrition and the firm purpose 
of amendment. It is quite otherwise with 
mortal sins. If we lack contrition for a 
single one of the mortal sins we confess, we 
not only receive no forgiveness, but we are 
guilty of sacrilege by receiving the sacrament 
of Penance unworthily. What we have just 
said about the confession of venial sins and 
the sufficiency of contrition for at least one 
of them, should ease the minds of the 
scrupulous, who are always worrying as to 
whether they had at confession contrition 
for each little fault. The more intense and 
universal our sorrow for venial sins, the 
more worthily we receive the sacrament of 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION, in 

Penance, and also the greater its blessings 
and efficacy. On the other hand, he who 
has only venial sins to confess, and is not 
sorry for at least one of them, renders the 
sacrament void, and does not and cannot 
receive it, for there is no matter for absolu- 
tion, which can be imparted only to a sin 
repented of. Only the fact that he who 
thus confesses only venial sins without hav- 
ing contrition for any of them, is in good 
faith and does this unintentionally and 
without malice, can excuse him from the 
commission of sacrilege, that is, from the 
profanation of the sacrament of Penance. 

As a means of avoiding such a misfortune 
and of quieting scruples, the teachers and 
masters of the spiritual life recommend that, 
at the end of our ordinary confessions of 
venial sins, we should never fail to include 
in our confession some grievous sin of our 
past life, for which we are certainly sorry. 



112 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and which we are firmly resolved never more 
to commit. The sins previously confessed 
are, indeed, not a necessary, but a sufficient 
matter for absolution, or rather the present 
absolution is a confirmation of the one pre- 
viously received. In other words, although 
there is no necessity for confessing the sins 
once already worthily confessed and absolved, 
we may, nevertheless, do so in order thereby 
to receive with the absolution the sacrament 
of Penance and its many benefits. The 
accusation of past sins already absolved 
should not prevent us from making earnest 
efforts to have contrition for our present 
sins. For, we repeat, the sins for which we 
have not sufficient contrition, cannot be for- 
given even by the sacrament of Penance. 

4. According to the common and more 
secure opinion of theologians, the voluntary 
venial sins we remember cannot be forgiven 
in the sacrament of Penance without a true 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 113 

contrition, that is, without a special contrition 
elicited in the soul after discovering them in 
our examination of conscience. Hence a 
sorrow for all of them in general or a de- 
testation of our great sinfulness does not 
suffice. But this is not to be understood, as 
if it were required to make a special act of 
contrition for each sin, since it is sufficient 
to make a single act of contrition for all the 
sins of which we are aware, although our 
sorrow may be more particularly directed to 
one or the other sin. In order to obtain in 
the sacrament of Penance the forgiveness of 
faults of human frailty, or, as they are com- 
monly called, of semi-voluntary venial sins, 
a contrition corresponding to the manner in 
which they are usually committed is suffi- 
cient. This contrition may be thus ex- 
pressed : " I wish I had not committed 
them. When, O Lord, will the time come, 
when I shall no longer offend Thee .^ " We 



114 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

detest our having committed them, we de- 
test, in general, our many daily sins of this 
kind, and are resolved, as far as possible^ to 
avoid them, or, as St. Thomas expresses it, 
to diminish their number. To diminish them, 
for, as will be said below (in 5), we cannot, on 
account of our natural weakness and frailty, 
possibly be entirely free from them during 
our earthly life. Let us here observe that 
careless and lukewarm Christians errone- 
ously include under the head of " sins of 
human frailty " many sins that are voluntary, 
deliberate, and sometimes even grievous sins. 
Among sins of human frailty are reckoned 
a slight tinge of impatience, a transient self- 
complacent feeling, a brief slight suspicion, a 
short and hardly perceptible feeling of jeal- 
ousy, a cursory judgment concerning our 
neighbor's conduct, an unpremeditated word 
liable to hurt another's feeling, distractions 
at prayer not at once detested, and the like. 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 115 

God, knowing our natural weakness, forgives 
such faults more easily than the others. He 
knows what man is, who is formed from the 
dust of the earth, and that his imagination 
often disregards all restraint, although he 
ought constantly turn his attention to him- 
self and to the many commandments imposed 
upon him. 

5. These faults which escape us through 
surprise and are a consequence of the misery 
and wretchedness of our nature, will, at least 
to a certain degree, cling to us until our last 
breath. " It will be very much," says St. 
Francis de Sales, " if we are freed from cer- 
tain defects a quarter of an hour before our 
death." Elsewhere he writes : " We are 
bound not only to bear our neighbor's 
infirmities, but to bear our own also, and to 
preserve patience at the sight of our imper- 
fections. It is, then, necessary that we 
should bear with ourselves until God bears 



ii6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

us to heaven. Let us endeavor to amend, 
but gradually and without uneasiness. We 
cannot be angels before the time." " I 
beseech you/' writes again the same saint, 
" do not look so much about you, but direct 
your attention to God and to yourself. You 
should never see God exempt of goodness 
nor yourself exempt of misery. Recognize 
your misery as the object of His goodness 
and mercy." " Do not grow weary," says 
Fenelon, " at taking a fresh start every day. 
Nothing so touches the heart of God as this 
humble and patient courage." " Virtue," 
said God to St. Paul, " is perfected in 
infirmity " (2 Cor. xii. 9). 

Sensible devotion and spiritual consola- 
tions are less suited to bring us nearer to 
God than interior humiliations and frequent 
turning to Him. A sight pleasing in the 
eyes of God is that of a persevering, but 
tranquil, patient, and apparently fruitless 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 117 

work of salvation, and of a soul, which, 
though full of defects and misery, yet united 
to Him by pious resolutions and sincere 
desires, strives earnestly not to displease 
Him wilfully. Such a soul, resolved to 
bear her imperfection inasmuch as it pleases 
God to leave it in her, and determined, 
nevertheless, constantly to combat her im- 
perfection, is far more precious in the eyes 
of God than a soul that enjoys peace in the 
practice of virtue and the possession of 
spiritual goods. " God," says St. Francis 
de Sales, " left in some of His disciples 
many traces of their previous evil inclina- 
tions, for some time after their conversion, 
but it was for their greater good, as is taught 
us by the example of St. Peter. Let us 
manfully and courageously combat, but 
without too ardently desiring the satisfac- 
tion of success. We should not at all wish 
.for anything evil, nor for anything too good. 



ii8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Do not, I pray, love too passionately even 
the virtues themselves, for they are some- 
times lost by transgressing the bounds of 
moderation." The holy Doctor, indeed, 
does not mean that we can too ardently love 
and seek virtue, but he hereby warns us 
against the impetuous, inordinate, and the 
often concealed self-seeking love of virtue. 
We should, then, labor and strive without 
anxiety as to the result. For, if we combat 
with perseverance, without growing disheart- 
ened at our faults, these will profit us as 
much as, or even more than, our victories. 
Let us intrust ourselves to the kind mercy 
of Him " who stretches out His hand under 
those who fall without malice, that they may 
receive no hurt, and who so tenderly and 
quickly raises them up, that they hardly 
notice their falls, because they fall into 
God's hands ; nor do they notice their being 
raised up, because God lifts them up so 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 119 

quickly, that they have not the time to 
think of it." 

6. "You ask/' writes again the holy 
bishop of Geneva, " how we can in a very 
short time excite ourselves to contrition. 
I say there is need for this of hardly any 
time at all, for nothing else is required than 
to prostrate ourselves before God in the 
spirit of humility and sorrow for the offences 
committed against Him." If we have a 
lively faith fully conscious of who God is 
whom we have offended, and of what we 
owe Him ; if we are deeply convinced of our 
ingratitude in offending Him after having 
received from Him so many graces and 
benefits, as well as of the injury sin does 
to our soul and the punishments it deserves ; 
if we have an intense longing to become 
again pleasing to our divine Redeemer, then 
there easily and quite naturally arises in us 
contrition for our venial sins. But if wc 



I20 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

are not always in the proper mood for this, 
what should we do ? Nothing else than 
most fervently and humbly to beseech God 
for contrition, and to try to deserve it by 
some voluntary good works, such as to 
spend well the time of prayer, and espe- 
cially to employ the time of preparation for 
confession by meditating on such truths as 
suggest to our hearts powerful motives 
never to offend God again, such as vividly 
representing to ourselves our Lord Jesus 
Christ in the garden of olives, on the cross, 
to cast ourselves at His feet, considering 
that this will perhaps be our last confession. 

IV. The accusation of venial sins. 

In accusing ourselves of our sins, let us 
mention only what concerns us without 
mixing up the faults of others with our 
own. In this we should aim at clearness, 
brevity and perfect sincerity, representing 
to ourselves that we are at the feet of Jesus 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 121 

Christ, that we are speaking with God 
Himself in the person of our confessor, 
His representative. The integrity of accu- 
sation for the validity of confession extends 
only to mortal sins. And although it is 
very salutary and useful to confess also our 
venial sins, their omission in whole or in 
part does not affect the validity of our 
confession. Such is the teaching of the 
Church. Those who confess frequently are 
apt to fall into the following faults in telling 
their venial sins : First, they wish to tell 
everything; secondly, they do not tell what 
they ought, that is, they do not tell where 
the fault usually lies ; and thirdly, they do 
not speak out clearly, but express them- 
selves confusedly. 

I. According to St. Francis de Sales ("In- 
troduction to a Devout Life," Part H. Chap. 
XIX.), it is necessary that those who wish to 
purify their souls thoroughly in order to attain 



122 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

perfection, should bestow every care to 
disclose exactly to their spiritual physician 
even the least faults or imperfections of 
which they desire to be healed. He 
recommends also that we, from time to 
time, disclose to our confessor, not only 
every sin, but also the state of our inclina- 
tions. Nevertheless, those who frequently 
confess, and have only venial sins to accuse 
themselves of, do well usually to accuse them- 
selves principally of three or four of them, 
by which they fear to displease God most 
and which they deem most urgent to con- 
fess, and then to accuse the others in general. 
This supposes that one is sure he has only 
venial sins to confess. In this case, we may 
confess some of them, omitting the less 
prominent, in order the more earnestly and 
fervently to turn our attention to the former 
and combat them, the more vigorously and 
the more certainly to extirpate them. To 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 123 

wish every time to mention all and every- 
thing in particular divides our attention, 
robs us of our mind's freedom, and not 
seldom makes our accusation a torment and 
a heavy burden. 

" In confession," says St. Francis de Sales, 
"we should not confound the involuntary 
emotions of our souls with actual sins. For 
if we were to say, ^ I accuse myself of 
having been violently tempted to anger for 
several days, but did not yield,' we would 
confess our virtues instead of our sins. A 
temptation courageously combated is an 
exercise of its opposite virtue. Let us 
avoid all superfluous accusations, to which 
certain persons are accustomed, such as, — 
I did not love God as much as I should ; 
I did not pray with as much devotion as I 
ought ; I did not love my neighbor ; I did 
not receive the sacraments with as much 
reverence as I ought, and the like. In 



124 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

saying such things we do not accuse our- 
selves of anything definite, by which the 
confessor is able to judge of the state of our 
soul. The most perfect man on earth could 
say the same things, and even the saints in 
heaven could say them also, if they were to 
confess concerning their life on earth. 

2. Another fault consists in not saying 
what we ought. There are some who accuse 
themselves of very many little things, but 
leave out what is more important. If we 
wish to be sincere, we should confess princi- 
pally those sins which most trouble and 
disturb our conscience. Others conceal cer- 
tain faults, about which, as they believe, the 
confessor, in order to know them better, 
would question them, if he thought of it 
and did not fear to annoy them, e,g.^ about 
the manner in which they profited by the 
counsels he previously gave them. If we 
are sincere, we shall answer with great 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 125 

simplicity the confessor's questions. He 
may have good reasons to wish to know 
certain things concerning our soul, which 
seem not to belong strictly to confession. 
The better he knows the circumstances in 
which we are, our character, our habits, our 
employments, our connections, our inclina- 
tions, etc., the better he can direct us. He 
knows best what questions he should put to 
us in order to find out all these things. 

3. The want of definiteness and clearness 
sometimes proceeds from a lack of sincerity. 
Some persons also feel confused and find 
difficulty in expressing themselves clearly, 
either because they are too anxious or 
because they feel embarrassed. They can- 
not confess a sin without going into all 
kinds of unnecessary details and explana- 
tions. The reason of this is that sometimes 
they do not sufficiently trust the judgment 
of the confessor, and imagine he does not 



126 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

know them so well as they know themselves. 
In fine, the want of clearness in the accusa- 
tion of sins sometimes arises from a hidden 
pride. We intend, indeed, to humble our- 
selves, and yet in our accusation we wish to 
make a good impression about ourselves on 
the mind of the confessor. We say much, 
but he cannot tell whether we accuse or 
excuse ourselves. 

4. Before approaching the confessor, we 
should, whilst he is hearing the confession 
of the person preceding us, briefly repeat 
the act of contrition and recite the Conjiteor 
in a spirit of humility and penitence. When 
kneeling at his feet and receiving his bless- 
ing, we should say, " Bless me. Father, for 
I have sinned." After we have accused our- 
selves of our sins, we should not examine 
whether we have any more to confess, but 
pay close attention to what the confessor 
tells or asks us and to the penance he im- 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 127 

poses upon us. Let us, then, in spirit place 
ourselves in the wounds of Jesus Christ, 
uniting our contrition with His sufferings, 
whilst the merits of His precious Blood are 
applied to our soul by the priest's absolu- 
tion, and receive this priceless benefit with 
gratitude and love, as if coming from His 
very lips. "After confession," says St. 
Francis de Sales, "is not the time to ex- 
amine whether we rightly accused ourselves 
of our sins. It simply sufficed to confess 
the sins that we remembered during confes- 
sion. If we duly prepared ourselves and 
did our best, we need not think any more 
upon them after confession. We should 
endeavor to keep our soul tranquil, and 
beware of leaving an opening for anxiety 
about our examination, contrition and accu- 
sation. Such anxiety is an insinuation of 
the devil, trying to change into bitterness 
the sacrament of consolation and love." 



128 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

V. The penances imposed in the confes- 
sion of devotion. 

Let us willingly, punctually and fervently 
perform the penance imposed by the con- 
fessor. The most suitable time for this is, 
if practicable, immediately after confession. 
If not practicable, and the confessor has not 
prescribed the time for its performance, the 
penance may be deferred to a more oppor- 
tune time ; but we should be careful not to 
forget it. Those who are drawn by divine 
grace ardently to desire to make progress in 
perfection, may, now and then, request the 
confessor to impose on them penances more 
severe than usual, e.g,^ what, from pious 
motives, they are willing to perform, or what 
they are sometimes tempted or inclined to 
omit, and the like. Since it is certain that 
venial sin deserves the pains of purgatory, 
and that the least pain of purgatory sur- 
passes all earthly pains, the confessor, know- 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. . 129 

ing his penitent's fervor, will sometimes ' 
condescend to his penitent's desire, apart 
from the reason that all good works, etc., 
performed or satisfaction imposed in the sac- 
rament of Penance, are far more meritorious 
than those performed of one's free choice. 
In order to quicken in us the spirit of pen- 
ance, let us often consider that the light 
penance imposed by the confessor does not 
always, even when well performed, remit all 
the temporal penalties due to our sins. 
The Church is satisfied, in order to grant 
us absolution, if we submit to penances 
proportionate to our sins. But the di- 
vine justice places a far stricter relation 
between sin and its punishment. In the 
sacrament of Penance we are subjected only 
to moderate and light works of satisfaction, 
lest we should be unwilling to perform more 
difficult ones, and thus fall into a fresh 
sin. 



t3o HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

VI. The prayers after the confession of 
devotion. 

After confession we should spend some 
time in recollection at the feet of Jesus 
Christ, and there consider ourselves as hav- 
ing been relieved of a heavy burden. Near 
Jesus Christ and in His presence we enjoy 
the consolation and peace of a conscience, 
which no longer has anything to reproach 
itself with, and which feels morally certain 
of God's forgiveness. — Let us thank the 
Lord for having instituted in His Church 
so effective and powerful a remedy against 
all human weaknesses. — Let us implore 
Him never to permit that we abuse, to our 
ruin, His willingness to receive us whenever 
we return to Him. We should next en- 
courage ourselves faithfully to keep our 
resolutions, and seek to confirm those that 
we consider as most necessary for us, and 
then invoke the saints towards whom we 



ON THE CONFESSION OF DEVOTION. 131 

have a special devotion to intercede for us. 
After this, if we have time, we should per- 
form the penance imposed upon us. We 
should be careful not to repeat it several 
times under the pretext of performing it 
better, for this is not the will of Jesus Christ 
or of His priest. On leaving the church, 
we ought to represent Jesus Christ to our- 
selves as saying to us, " Now that thou art 
healed, go in peace and sin no more." 

But what should we do if, before holy 
Communion, we feel disturbed about a sin we 
forgot, or about some little fault committed 
after confession, or when, for some reason or 
another, we fear we are not in a disposition 
fit to receive holy Communion? We should 
make an act of contrition, and, in obedience 
to our confessor, or rather to Jesus Christ 
in the person of our confessor, go tranquilly 
to holy Communion without disturbing our- 
selves. We ought to approach our Lord 



132 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and Saviour with confidence and receive 
Him with love, persuaded that the act of 
contrition and our obedience supply the 
place of a good confession. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Holy Communion. 

I. What St. Alphonsus says of Holy Com- 
munion (" True Spouse of Jesus Christ," 
Chap. XVni., Sec. HI.). Of all the sacra- 
ments the adorable sacrament of the altar is 
the most excellent. The other sacraments 
contain the gifts of God, but the Holy Eu- 
charist contains God Himself. Hence St. 
Thomas says that the other sacraments have 
been instituted by Jesus Christ to prepare men 
either to receive or to administer the Blessed 
Eucharist, which is the consummation of the 
spiritual life, because from this sacrament is 
derived all the perfection of the soul. For 
all perfection consists in a union with God ; 

133 



134 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and of all the means of uniting the soul to 
Him there is none more effective than holy- 
Communion, by which the soul becomes, as 
it were, one with Him, for Christ Himself 
says, " He that eateth My flesh, . . . abid- 
eth in Me and I in him " (John vi. 57). 
Our Saviour instituted this sacrament 
under the form of food to show that, as 
corporal food is changed into our flesh, 
so this heavenly bread becomes one thing 
with us ; but with this difference, that 
earthly food is converted into our substance, 
whilst this divine bread transforms those who 
eat it into Jesus Christ. Wherefore Rupert 
puts these words into our Lord's mouth, 
" Eat, and you shall be by grace what I am 
by nature." And this is what our Lord 
deigned one day to say to St. Augustine, " I 
will not be changed into you, but you shall 
be changed into Me." And St. Paul says 
also, " I live, now not I, but Christ livcth 



HOLY COMMUNION. 



135 



in me" (Gal. ii. 20). The principal effect 
of this sacrament is to preserve in the soul 
the Hfe of grace. Hence it is called bread ; 
for, as earthly bread supports the life of the 
body, so this heavenly bread preserves the 
life of the soul, which consists in the grace 
of God. 

The Eucharist is, according to the Coun- 
cil of Trent, the divine medicine that puri- 
fies the soul from venial and preserves it 
from mortal sins. Like a stream of water, 
this sacrament extinguishes the ardor of the 
passions consuming us. If he, whose soul 
is all aglow with the fire of some particular 
passion, approaches holy Communion, he 
will find the passion, if not altogether, at 
least in a great measure, extinguished. " If," 
says St. Bernard, " any of you no longer 
experience so frequent or so violent motions 
of anger, of envy or of lust, let him give 
thanks to the Body of the Lord that pro- 



136 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

duces fruit in his soul." The Angelic 
Doctor teaches that holy Communion im- 
parts strength to us " to repel every assault 
of the demons." This sacrament, moreover, 
infuses into the soul great interior peace, a 
strong inclination to virtue, and a great 
wiUingness to practise it, and thus renders it 
easy to walk in the path of perfection. 

Holy Communion, as St. Thomas teaches, 
infuses divine charity into the heart. Jesus 
Christ declared that He came into the world 
for no other purpose than to kindle in our 
souls the holy fire of divine love. " I came 
to cast fire on the earth, and what will I 
but that it be kindled .^" (Luke xii. 49.) 
The Venerable Father Olympio, of the 
Order of Theatines, was wont to say, that 
there is no mystery of redemption more 
apt to inflame us with the love of Jesus 
Christ, than the sacrament of the altar, in 
which He gives Himself entirely to us, and 



HOLY COMMUNION. 137 

pours forth all His love. Hence, speak- 
ing of the institution of this sacrament, 
St. John says, " Jesus, knowing that His 
hour was come to pass from this world to 
His Father, when He had loved His friends 
who were in the world, He loved them even 
to the end" (John xiii. i). "He loved 
them to the end '' means, according to the 
commentators, that He loved them to the 
utmost of His power. Hence the Council 
of Trent said that in this sacrament Jesus 
" poured forth, as it were, all the riches of 
His divine love towards men.'' St. Thomas 
calls holy Communion " the sacrament of 
love " and St. Bernard terms it " the love 
of loves." St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi 
used to call the day of Communion " the 
day of love," and said that a soul, after holy 
Communion, might exclaim with Jesus 
dying on the cross, " It is consummated " 
(John xix. 30) ; for, " after giving Himself 



138 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

to me, God has nothing more to give me ; 
nor can I desire anything else from Him." 
Should not all, then, ardently desire to 
receive Jesus as often as possible in holy 
Communion ? The sentiment of the Church 
may be inferred from the Council of Trent, 
which expresses a strong desire that all the 
faithful present at holy Mass should receive 
holy Communion. The practice of frequent 
and even of daily Communion was always 
praised by the holy Fathers. Pope Inno- 
cent XI. exhorts the bishops of those places 
in which the faithful communicate every day, 
to give God thanks for such a privilege, and 
to cherish by all means in their power so 
useful a devotion, and commands that the 
reception of Communion be left to the dis- 
cretion of one's confessor. Our Lord once 
said to a holy nun, "If you receive holy 
Communion frequently, I will forget all 
your ingratitude.'' The Venerable Father 



HOLY COMMUNION. 139 

Antony Torres after death appeared in glory 
to a certain person, and said that his beatitude 
in heaven had been increased, because he had 
recommended frequent Communion to his 
penitents. Frequent Communion is that 
which is received several times a week. 

According to St. Thomas, it is certain that 
frequent and even daily Communion is in 
itself most useful, but only for those who 
have the proper dispositions, and not indis- 
criminately for all that are in the state of 
grace. " Receive daily," says St. Augustine, 
" that it may every day be profitable to you ; 
but live in such a manner, that you may be 
worthy to receive every day." A person 
that commits deliberate venial sins, or that 
is guilty of faults which he knows to hinder 
his advancement in perfection, and that does 
not endeavor to correct these defects, should 
not be permitted to communicate more 
frequently than once a week. For my part. 



I40 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

I should have great difficulty in allowing 
frequent Communion to persons disposed to 
persevere in any defect, which, though not 
clearly a venial sin, would be certainly con- 
trary to perfection, especially if it were a 
defect against humility or obedience. But 
if a person has no affection for any venial 
sin, if he abstains from deliberate venial 
sins and attends to prayer and the mortifica- 
tion of his passions and senses, the confessor 
may permit him to communicate three, four, 
or even five times a week. And when a 
person has attained a considerable degree of 
perfection, when he spends several hours a 
day in mental prayer, and has, moreover, 
conquered the greater part of his evil in- 
clinations, he may, according to St. Francis 
de Sales, be allowed to receive holy Com- 
munion every day. St. Thomas teaches that 
" if any one finds by experience that by 
daily Communion the fervor of his love is 



HOLY COMMUNION. 141 

increased, and his reverence not diminished, 
such a person ought to communicate every 
day." Hence, in permitting more or less 
frequent Communion to his penitents, a 
confessor should be regulated by the fruits 
of their Communions. 

Listen to the words of St. Francis de 
Sales : " If worldlings ask you why you 
communicate so often, tell them that two 
classes of persons should communicate fre- 
quently ; the perfect, to preserve perfection, 
and the imperfect, to attain perfection ; the 
strong, that they may not become weak, and 
the weak, that they may grow strong ; the 
sick, that they may be cured, and the healthy, 
that they may not get sick. And as to 
yourself, tell them that because you are im- 
perfect, weak and infirm, you stand in need 
of frequent Communion." 

2. Preparation for Holy Communion. The 
Blessed Eucharist is, in a special manner, the 



142 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

food oPour soul. St. Augustine says that, 
when we ask God to give us this day our 
daily bread, we ask principally for holy Com- 
munion, which should constitute the daily 
nourishment of our soul. In this sacrament 
God " has made a remembrance of all His 
wonderful works " (Ps. ex. 4). It sums up 
all the wonders of His infinite love for us. 
It is the greatest gift that God can bestow, 
for He cannot give anything greater than 
Himself We ought to hunger and thirst 
after this bread of angels, after this "wine 
that produces virgins'' (Zach. ix. 17). We 
ought to receive our Lord frequently, as 
often as we are permitted. " Holy Com- 
munion," says St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, 
"is our greatest possible action." It, there- 
fore, demands great and careful preparation 
on our part. How happy were St. Martha 
and Zacheus to receive Jesus Christ into 
their house! How happy would we not feel. 



HOLY COMMUNION. 143 

if He were to come in person to visit 
us in our house, in our convent ! What 
preparations would we not make to receive 
Him in a becoming manner! How care- 
fully would we not cleanse and poHsh the 
whole building and put everything in order! 
We would, moreover, spare no pains to 
decorate, to the best of our ability, the 
whole building, so as to render it as fit as 
possible to receive so great a Guest. When, 
however, there is question of receiving Jesus 
Christ into our soul, we should most assur- 
edly leave nothing undone to render it 
worthy of receiving Him. It, then, be- 
hooves us, above all, carefully to purify our 
conscience. It were a thousand times better 
not to receive holy Communion at all, than 
to commit the horrid crime of sacrilege of 
profaning the Body and Blood of our Re- 
deemer, and thus eating and drinking our 
own condemnation. 



144 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

But, while dreading sacrilege above every 
other evil, we should not be too scrupulous 
and omit holy Communion for every trifle, 
for a little fault that can be effaced by an act 
of contrition, of humility, of mortification, or 
of charity. We should not for the wh6le 
world wilfully lose a holy Communion. "A 
wilful omission of holy Communion," says 
St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, " is a great in- 
justice against divine love, and may deprive 
us of necessary special graces." This is one 
of the points on which St. Alphonsus insists 
the most in his correspondence with his 
penitents ; he threatens to give up directing 
their souls, if they will not obey him and 
receive holy Communion as often as he 
prescribes. 

But those who frequently receive holy 
Communion should be very holy. " He 
who often receives holy Communion," says 
St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, " should be so 



HOLY COMMUNION. 145 

filled with holy indifference and so resigned 
to the divine will and that of his superiors, 
that no one may be able to discover his 
likes and dislikes. Nothing imparts greater 
perfection to the soul than holy Commun- 
ion". A single Communion well made is 
sufficient to make us saints." The reason 
why we do not obtain such happy results 
from our holy Communion, is because we 
carelessly make, or even omit, our immediate 
preparation for it. The fruits of our holy 
Communions are always proportionate to 
the fervor of our preparation. We should, 
then, strive with all possible earnestness to 
prepare ourselves for so great an action, be- 
ginning to do so already on the eve of our 
holy Communion. 

In the first place, we should excite within 
us the most lively faith, believing most 
firmly in the real presence, and most vividly 
representing to ourselves the great happiness 



146 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

holy Communion has in store for us, since 
it will most intimately unite us with the 
God of heaven and earth, with our loving 
Redeemer, with the Beloved of our heart, 
who will dwell therein and bestow on us 
His choicest graces. Let us pray for an in- 
crease of faith — that first and most neces- 
sary of virtues, which is now especially 
necessary, since our fervor in the reception of 
this adorable Sacrament will be proportion- 
ate to the liveliness and intensity of our faith. 
Were our faith in holy Communion and its 
advantages as ardent as it ought to be, we 
would not remain so cold or so lukewarm 
at the thought of receiving our loving Jesus. 
In the next place, we should deeply 
humble ourselves as entirely unworthy of so 
inestimable a favor on account of our misery 
and sinfulness. This sentiment of humility 
will incite us to make repeated acts of the 
sincerest contrition for our sins, of regret for 



HOLY COMMUNION. 147 

our base ingratitude, and of the firm resolu- 
tion rather to suffer all, and even death 
itself, than again offend God; and it will 
also urge to do all in our power henceforth 
to serve Him with the utmost fidelity. 
Being, however, aware of our extreme spir- 
itual weakness and helplessness, we shall 
naturally be led to place all our confidence 
in the divine goodness and mercy, and to 
expect great things from Him who is so 
soon to give Himself to us. Our confidence 
should be boundless, for the number and 
effectiveness of the graces we receive in holy 
Communion are always in proportion to the 
confidence with which we approach our lov- 
ing Saviour. Our confidence is the vessel 
into which He pours His favors, says St. 
Bernard. Jesus will surely fill the vessel of 
our confidence when He comes to us ; but 
He will give us only as much as it can con- 
tain. Let us, then, greatly dilate our heart 



148 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

and expand our confidence, so as to secure 
an abundance of graces. 

In the next place, we should strive to 
excite in our heart the tenderest love for 
Jesus Christ, who loves us so greatly as to 
give Himself to us. In fact. His love for us 
is so excessive, that it would seem as if He 
could not do enough to win our miserable 
love. To show His love for us, He was not 
content to die for us, but He has gone so far 
as to feed us in this Sacrament with His own 
flesh and blood. Let us, then, love Him 
with our whole undivided heart. — Lastly, 
we should desire most eagerly, yearn most 
intensely, to receive the Blessed Eucharist. 
Our longing for it should be so great as 
to consume us. We should experience a 
ravenous hunger, a burning thirst for this 
heavenly food and drink. We should be 
like St. Catherine of Siena, who every 
morning felt like one famished, until she 



HOLY COMMUNION. 149 

had received her divine Spouse. We should 
so long for this Bread of Angels, as scarcely 
to be able to wait until the happy moment 
arrives when Jesus gives Himself to us. 

Whilst we are receiving Jesus Christ, how 
eagerly, lovingly, and tenderly we should 
welcome Him as our only love, as the be- 
loved Spouse of our soul, as our all, and 
with what transports of the deepest and most 
intense love and joy should we not embrace 
Him! 

3. Thanksgiving after Holy Communion. 
Having received Jesus, let us thank Him 
with our whole heart, and prolong our con- 
versation with Him as long as obedience 
permits. We should not lose a single one 
of those precious moments during which 
Jesus is personally within us. "Holy Com- 
munion,'' says St. Mary Magdalen de 
Pazzi, " is the greatest treasure we can 
possess. After receiving Jesus we ought to 



ISO HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

be forgetful of everything else, just as if we 
were alone in the world with Jesus." Hav- 
ing welcomed our divine Spouse with the 
tenderest affection, we should express aston- 
ishment at His condescending to enter our 
miserable heart. Let us, then, in the most 
lively manner, reanimate our faith in His 
presence within us, and with the most ardent 
love express our gratitude to Him for His 
infinite goodness and condescension in thus 
giving Himself to us, and let us unite our- 
selves most intimately with Him. Having 
done this, we should listen to Him saying to 
us, "My child, give me thy heart" (Prov. 
xxiii. 26). Let us then comply with His 
desire, and consecrate ourselves wholly and 
unreservedly to Him, giving Him our heart 
and all its affections, and our whole being, 
and most fervently renewing the vows of 
our profession (or our baptismal vows). 
After doing this with all possible sincerity 



HOLY COMMUNION. 151 

and earnestness, let us imitate Zacheus, who, 
to express his gratitude for our Lord's visit 
to his house, made and executed various 
good resolutions. In like manner, we 
should make good resolutions appropriate to 
our spiritual wants, taking care to specify 
them. Although we should not make too 
many, we should, nevertheless, be generous. 
Perhaps some heavy cross, or trial, is oppress- 
ing us, and making us discontented and 
despondent, and inciting us to murmurs and 
complaints, and rendering us miserable 
and unhappy. Now, then, is the time to 
show to Jesus our generosity and gratitude 
for His boundless love and generosity in our 
regard. Now is the time for us cheerfully 
and lovingly to accept this cross, this burden, 
this trial. Let us now tell our loving Jesus 
that, for His sake, we will cheerfully bear 
this cross, and other crosses also, if it so 
please Him to make a trial of our love ; but 



152 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

that He should mercifully strengthen our 
weakness. 

Having thus proved that our love and 
gratitude do not consist in vain words and 
protestations, we may now in all confidence 
make petitions for ourselves and ethers. 
But we ought to ask our divine Saviour for 
great things, such as the forgiveness of our 
sins, the gift of divine love, a boundless 
confidence in His merits and in Mary's in- 
tercession, the grace to pray well and to 
become a saint, and final perseverance. Let 
us entreat Him to tear out of our heart 
every affection and every attachment to 
creatures. After this let us pray for our 
companions in religion, for our superiors, our 
relatives, friends, benefactors, enemies, poor 
sinners, the souls in purgatory, the sick and 
the afflicted, those who are in their agony, 
those for whom we have promised to pray, 
and those who have recommended themselves 



HOLY COMMUNION. 153 

or been recommended to our prayers. We 
should try to spend the whole day in sweet 
joy at the remembrance of the gracious visit 
of our loving Spouse, and to carry out faith- 
fully the promises we have made Him. 

A holy Communion, well made, is the 
best preparation for the next one. To draw 
greater profit from our holy Communions 
we should strive, in our preparation, to enter 
into the dispositions that would animate us, 
if we knew that this were to be our last holy 
Communion, and that we should die im- 
mediately after it and be summoned before 
the formidable tribunal of Jesus Christ. 
Oh ! if this were to be the case, how care- 
fully and fervently would we not prepare 
for that great action, and how eagerly and 
lovingly would we not receive that pledge of 
life eternal ! 



CHAPTER IX. 

Spiritual Communion — Visit to the 
Blessed Sacrament. 

I. St. Alphonsus on Spiritual Commun- 
ion (" Spouse of Christ/' Chap. XVIII., 
Sec. III.). 

Spiritual Communion, as St. Thomas 
says, consists in an ardent desire to re- 
ceive Jesus Christ in the holy Sacrament. 
The holy Council of Trent extols the ad- 
vantages of spiritual Communion, and ex- 
horts the faithful to practise it. xA.nd God 
Himself has several times given devout 
souls to understand how pleasing it is to 
Him to receive Him spiritually. Jesus 
Christ appeared one day to Sister Paula 
Maresca and showed her two precious vcs- 

'54 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 155 

sels, one of gold and another of silver, saying 
to her, that in the former He preserved her 
sacramental Communions, and her spiritual 
Communions in the latter. On a certain oc- 
casion He said to the Venerable Jane of the 
Cross, that, as often as she communicated 
spiritually, she received a grace similar to 
that which she derived from her sacramental 
Communions. 

Father Peter Faber, S.J., was wont to 
say that spiritual Communions are a very 
powerful help to receive the Holy Eucharist 
with the proper dispositions. Blessed An- 
gela of the Cross used to make a hundred 
spiritual Communions every day and a hun- 
dred more every night. But how could she 
make so many ? St. Augustine answers, 
" Give me one that loves, and he under- 
stands what I say." Give me a soul that 
loves nothing but Jesus Christ, and she will 
not wonder at it. Nothing is easier than to 



156 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

make several spiritual Communions every 
day, for it is not necessary to be fasting, 
to have a priest, or to spend much time. 
Hence we may make a spiritual Commun- 
ion as often as we please in the day. Be 
careful, then, to make frequent spiritual 
Communions in your meditations, visits to 
the Blessed Sacrament, and take particular 
care, whenever you hear Mass, to make a 
spiritual Communion during the Commun- 
ion of the priest. The spiritual Communion 
may be made thus : — 

Spiritual Communion. My Jesus, I be- 
lieve that Thou art truly and really present 
in the holy Sacrament. I love Thee with 
my whole heart, and because I love Thee, I 
am sorry for having offended Thee. Since 
I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, 
come at least spiritually into my heart. I 
embrace Thee, as if Thou hadst really come, 
and I give myself entirely to Thee; do 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 157 

not permit me to be ever separated from 
Thee. 

II. St. Alphonsus on visits to the 
Blessed Sacrament {Ibid.). 

The souls that love Jesus Christ derive 
great help from frequent visits to Him in 
the Sacrament of His love. The holy 
Church instituted and celebrates the festival 
of the adorable Sacrament with so much 
solemnity in honor not only of holy Com- 
munion, but also of the loving dwelHng of 
Jesus Christ night and day in our churches. 
When our dear Saviour left this world, He 
did not wish to leave us alone, and therefore 
He devised a means of remaining with us in 
the Holy Eucharist to the end of time, that 
even here below we may enjoy His sweet 
company. He gives audience to all when- 
ever they wish. "In order to animate us 
to approach Him with greater confidence," 
says St. Teresa, " He has clothed Himself 



158 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

with the species of bread in this Sacrament, 
and thus has veiled His majesty, that we 
may not be terrified at the sight of it." 

But how many insults must Jesus Christ 
have suffered from infidels, from heretics, 
and from sinners in this Sacrament, in order 
to remain with us. He foresaw all these 
injuries ; but He, nevertheless, resolved to 
remain with us on the altar, that we might 
not be deprived of His amiable presence. 
The saints experienced no greater delight on 
earth than that which they enjoyed in the 
presence of the most holy Sacrament. St. 
Teresa said one day from heaven to one of 
her religious: " We who rejoice in heaven, 
and you who suffer on earth, should be alike 
in purity and love. And what we do in 
heaven before the divine Essence, you 
should do on earth before the most holy 
Sacrament." And what greater paradise can 
a religious that loves Jesus Christ find on 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 159 

this earth than to remain at His feet, to 
manifest the love he bears Him, to offer 
himself to Him, to make known his desires, 
in order the more ardently to love Him ? 

But this paradise religious can enjoy in 
a special manner. It is true that Jesus 
remains in the holy Sacrament for all ; but 
He remains particularly for religious, who 
enjoy His society day and night within their 
own house. Religious, then, do not need 
to leave their dwelling in order to enjoy His 
society. They should visit Him as often 
as possible, and their hearts should remain 
with Him to burn continually, and with 
greater splendor than the lights and lamps 
decorating the altar. Our Lord thus com- 
plained of the ingratitude of men and of re- 
ligious to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque, 
when He showed her His divine Heart 
burning with flames of love for men, saying : 
" Behold the Heart that has loved men so 



i6o HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

tenderly and has consumed itself in order 
to show its love for them. But in return I 
receive in this Sacrament nothing but in- 
gratitude and contempt from the greater 
number of men. But what displeases Me 
most is, that some of these ungrateful hearts 
are hearts consecrated to Me." 

If you have hitherto been negligent in 
visiting Jesus in the tabernacle, I entreat 
you henceforth to avail yourself of the great 
treasure you have in the most holy Sacra- 
ment. Sister Anne of the Cross, being 
asked how she was employed during the 
many hours she was wont to spend daily 
before the Blessed Sacrament, replied, " I 
thank Him, I love Him, and I ask for His 
graces." Behold an excellent means of 
drawing great fruit from your visits to the 
Blessed Sacrament. First, thank Jesus 
Christ for His great goodness in coming 
to remain on the altar for the love of you. 



SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. i6i 

Secondly, love Him, for in that prison of 
love He is burning with love for you ; 
hence make repeated acts of love, offering 
yourself to Him in a special manner. 

Thirdly, ask for His graces. Beg of 
Him to give you strength to resist tempta- 
tions, to correct the faults into which you 
habitually relapse, to rescue you from the 
passion that hinders you from giving your- 
self entirely to God. Beseech Him to help 
you to increase in your heart His divine 
love and particularly to enable you to live 
always united with His holy will. When 
you feel disturbed after having committed 
a fault, go at once to the holy Sacrament 
to ask pardon, and then calm your mind. 
When you have been offended or when you 
meet with a heavy cross, go and offer it all 
to Jesus, and beg Him for strength to em- 
brace it with resignation. Oh! if all religious 
were to do this, they would all become saints. 

M 



CHAPTER X. 

Purity of Intention. 
(St. Alphonsus, *^ Spouse of Christ," Chap. XIX.) 

Purity of intention consists in perform^ 
ing all our actions through the sole motive 
of pleasing God. The good or bad inten- 
tion with which an act is performed makes 
the act good or bad in the sight of God. 
" If," said our Lord, " thy eye be single, 
thy whole body shall be lightsome. But if 
thy eye be evil, thy whole body will be dark- 
some" (Mat. vi. 22). If our intention be 
simple, that is, if we have no other object 
than to please God, our works are good and 
resplendent with the light of purity ; but if 
our intention be twofold, that is, if any 

162 



PURITY OF INTENTION. 163 

vicious end enters into our actions, they are 
sinful. Holy simplicity admits no other 
end than the pleasure of God. Hence a 
pure intention is the soul of our actions ; 
it gives them life and renders them pleasing 
in the sight of God. 

The value of an act, according to men, 
increases in proportion to the time spent in 
its performance ; but, before God, the value 
of an act increases in proportion to the 
purity of intention with which it is per- 
formed. " For man seeth those things that 
appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart '* 
(i Kings xvi. 7). St. Mary Magdalen de 
Pazzi was wont to say that God rewards our 
actions in proportion to the purity of our 
intention of pleasing Him. Of the poor 
widow who put her two mites into the 
treasury of the temple, into which others 
had cast large sums, our Saviour said, 
" Amen, I say to you, this poor widow hath 



1 64 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

cast in more than all they who have cast 
into the treasury" (Mark xii. 41). St. 
Cyprian, explaining this passage, says that 
by these words our Lord meant that he 
regards not so much the action that is per- 
formed, as the affection and the purity of 
intention with which it is performed. St. 
Mary Magdalen de Pazzi used to say to 
her novices, " Never seek yourselves in any 
of your exercises." A religious who seeks 
himself in his actions, by performing them 
for the sake of praise or self-satisfaction, 
imitates him who puts the wages of his labor 
into a bag full of holes. " Take heed," says 
our Lord, " that you do not your justice 
before men, to be seen by them " (Mat. vi. i). 
Marks of a Pure Intention. The first mark 
is, if, when your undertaking has not been 
successful, you are not disturbed, but remain 
as tranquil as if you had attained your ob- 
ject. This will certainly be the case, when- 



PURITY OF INTENTION. 165 

ever you have acted only for God ; because 
when you see that He has not wished your 
efforts to be crowned with success, neither 
will you wish it ; for you know that He 
demands an account, not of the success or 
failure of your undertaking, but of the 
purity of your intention. 

The second is, to rejoice at the good done 
by others, as if it had been done by your- 
self He that seeks nothing but the divine 
glory, cares not whether it is promoted by 
another or by himself. 

The third mark is, not to desire one office 
more than another, one occupation more 
than another, but to be content with what- 
ever obedience prescribes ; because you then 
seek in everything only the pleasure of God. 

The fourth mark is, not to desire appro- 
bation or thanks for your good works, but 
to remain, even when unduly censured, in 
the same tranquillity of mind, satisfied with 



1 66 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

having pleased God, since this was your sole 
aim. 

It is better and safer to act through the 
motive of doing the will of God, than with 
the intention of promoting His glory, be- 
cause we shall thus escape the delusions of 
self-love. Under the pretence of seeking 
the glory of God, we often do our own will ; 
but when we endeavor to do the divine will 
— duly manifested to us — and what is most 
pleasing to God, we can never err. Let us 
be persuaded, that the greatest glory we can 
give to God consists in doing His will. It 
was thus our Saviour always acted, for He 
says, " I seek not My own will, but the 
will of Him that sent Me" (John v. 30); 
" I do always the things that please Him " 
(John viii. 29). Hence it was justly said of 
Him that He did all things well. And, re- 
marks St. John Chrysostom, " if we imitate 
His example, and succeed in pleasing God, 



PURITY OF INTENTION. 167 

what else need we seek ? " Does it appear 
to you a small thing, that you, a miserable 
creature, should be able to give pleasure to 
God? 

Let us be persuaded that God does not 
demand of us great things, but only that we 
present Him the little we do with a pure in- 
tention. St. Augustine says, that if, because 
you are poor, you have nothing to give to 
God, your will affords much to give Him, 
if you offer him what you do through the 
sole motive of pleasing Him. " No price," 
says the Venerable Beatrix of the Incarna- 
tion, "can be an equivalent for the smallest 
action done for God." 

Be careful from the moment you awake in 
the morning to direct all the actions of the 
day to God, offering them in union with the 
actions of our Saviour during His mortal 
life. Endeavor to renew your intention at 
least at the beginning of every principal 



i68 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

action, such as your meditations, Commun- 
ions, hearing Mass, work or study, meals and 
recreation, saying always, at least mentally, 
" Lord, in this action I intend not my own 
pleasure, but only the accomplishment of 
Thy will/' " Consider," says St. Eusebius, 
" that you have lived only those days on 
which your actions have had the light of 
purity;" that is, on which your actions have 
been performed through the sole motive of 
pleasing God. 



CHAPTER XL 

Meditation on the Present State of 
Our Soul. 

Preparatory Prayer^ p. 60. 

First Prelude. Vividly imagine yourself 
standing before the throne of the divine 
Majesty. 

Second Prelude. Pray to God for light to 
appreciate the value of the graces and bene- 
fits hitherto received, and to acknowledge 
and repent of the malice of your past faults 
and sins, and to make appropriate resolu- 
tions. 

I. Point. Consider the benefits thou hast 
received this month (this week), and espe- 
cially perseverance in thy vocation, the nu- 

169 



I70 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

merous powerful means of perfection, thy 
daily spiritual exercises — such as medita- 
tion, examens of conscience, spiritual read- 
ing, visit to the Blessed Sacrament, the 
frequent reception of the sacraments, the 
constant watchfulness and direction of thy 
superiors, the good example of thy com- 
panions, the many divine inspirations, preser- 
vation from grievous sins, the diminution of 
the number of venial sins, the greater ease 
in overcoming temptations, a more ardent 
love of thy vocation, increased facility in 
overcoming the difficulties and obstacles of 
perfection. "It is true, the Lord is good, 
and His mercy endureth forever. — What 
shall I render to the Lord for all that He 
has rendered to me ? '' 

n. Point. Investigate the present state 
of thy soul, and especially how thou hast 
conducted thyself and what care thou didst 
bestow on thy ordinary daily exercises. 



THE PRESENT STATE OF OUR SOUL. iVi 

1. How hast thou behaved towards God? 
What courage, what desire didst thou feel 
and nourish in thyself for the attainment of 
perfection ? How didst thou perform thy 
spiritual exercises ? Didst thou experience 
therein greater devotion and consolation 
than formerly, or, at least, didst thou show 
more zeal and endurance ? Or didst thou 
rather experience desolation and dryness, or 
even relax in fervor and fidelity ? In keep- 
ing thy vows and rules, was thy motive love 
or fear ? Hast thou not failed to make that 
progress in perfection which, with God's 
help, thou couldst have made ? Reflect on 
some special occasions of so doing which 
presented themselves to thee. 

2. What has been thy conduct towards thy 
Superiors? Didst thou always endeavor to 
consider Jesus Christ Himself in the person 
of thy superiors ? Didst thou always show 
them due respect and love }, Didst thou 



172 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

willingly, humbly and perfectly obey thy 
superiors of inferior rank ? And this with- 
out murmur, without excuse, without pre- 
texting difficulties ? Wert thou open-hearted 
and sincere towards thy superior, or didst 
thou act deceitfully towards him ? 

3. How hast thou conducted thyself towards 
thy Companions in Religion ? Didst thou 
sincerely love them all and prefer them to 
thyself? Didst thou not wound fraternal 
charity and concord ? Hast thou no par- 
ticular affection for some one? Dost thou 
entertain an aversion for some one ? Didst 
thou strive by true humility, simplicity, 
patience, discretion, love and modesty to 
render thyself amiable before God and men ? 
Didst thou endeavor to preserve peace of 
heart? Wast thou considerate in speech 
and in intercourse with others ? 

4. How hast thou fulfilled thy personal duties ? 
Didst thou love poverty as a mother? 



THE PRESENT STATE OF OUR SOUL. 173 

Didst thou cheerfully bear its privations ? 
Wast thou always content to get the poorest 
in all things ? Didst thou desire it ? Didst 
thou exert thyself to preserve purity of 
body and soul ? Didst thou at once strive 
to suppress all impure thoughts and repre- 
sentations ? Didst thou carefully watch 
over thy senses ? Didst thou, without or 
against the will of thy superiors, exceed in 
acts of exterior mortification, or show thy- 
self negligent therein ? 

Wast thou diligent and careful in thy 
daily duties ? Didst thou rise in the morn- 
ing at the very first sound of the bell ? 
Didst thou then at once raise thy thoughts 
to God, to the subject of thy particular 
examen, of thy meditation ? Didst thou 
endeavor to preserve recollection of mind ? 
Didst thou say thy morning prayers atten- 
tively ? Didst thou make a good medita- 
tion ? Didst thou assist at holy Mass with 



174 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

reverence and devotion ? Didst thou recite 
well thy usual prayers ? Didst thou observe 
moderation at thy meals ? Didst thou mor- 
tify thy appetite in some small thing ? 
Didst thou pay attention to the reading at 
table ? How didst thou spend the time of 
recreation ? Didst thou try to keep up 
and promote therein spiritual conversation ? 
Didst thou make thy spiritual reading well ? 
Didst thou carefully make the two examens 
of conscience ? 

After thus examining thyself compare thy 
present with thy past state. If thou per- 
ceivest that thou hast made some progress, 
thank God for it, and resolve to be hence- 
forth as conscientious and to strive to make 
still greater progress. If, however, the con- 
trary has been the case, resolve earnestly to 
amend and to make up for thy deficiencies. 

Finally, beseech our divine Saviour and 
His Blessed Mother to deign to preserve 



THE PRESENT STATE OF OUR SOUL. 175 

thee in fervor. " The most effective means 
to persevere in good and to make progress 
in the spiritual life/' says St. Francis de 
Sales, " consists in frequently calling to mind 
what we promised to God in the days of our 
primitive fervor after mature deliberation. 
If he who, from time to time, renews his 
good resolutions is not wholly free from 
faults, what will become of him who never, 
or only very seldom, renews them ? " 



CHAPTER XII. 

How TO MAKE OUR MoNTHLY RECOLLEC- 
TION, TOGETHER WITH THE PREPARATION 

FOR Death. 

The object of this pious exercise, which 
is usually made on the first or the last Sun- 
day of every month, is, first, to discover not 
only our faults but their roots and sources 
also, and to examine whether we have made 
any progress in virtue ; secondly, to seek the 
necessary means of amendment and progress ; 
and thirdly, to dispose our will to practise 
conscientiously our good resolutions. 

When thou art at leisure, go in presence 
of the Blessed Sacrament, or else retire to 
thy room, kneel and, according to the direc- 

176 



OUR MONTHLY RECOLLECTION. 177 

tions given in the preceding chapter, try to 
find out the state of thy soul, asking thy- 
self and sincerely answering the following 
questions : — 

1. To what faults and sins am I mostly 
subject ? 

2. How have I kept and executed my 
good resolutions ? What is the occasion or 
source of my want of fidelity ? 

3. Have I a good intention in all my 
actions ? Am I not led by human respect ? 
Have I a particular aflfection or friendship 
for some one ? 

4. Do I punctually, conscientiously and 
fervently discharge the duties of my office ? 

Keep a correct account of the faults thou 
now discoverest and compare it with that of 
the previous month. Excite a hearty sorrow 
for these faults, and, at the next occasion, 
confess the most important ones and consult 
thy confessor concerning them. At a visit 



178 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

to the Blessed Sacrament and at thy next 
holy Communion offer thy resolutions to 
our Lord, beg for grace to put them into 
practice, and recommend thyself to the 
Blessed Virgin and to the saints of thy 
Order. 



CHAPTER XIIL 

Consideration for the Anniversary of 
One's Entrance into the Religious 
State. 

This great day reminds us of three con- 
siderations well worthy of our attention. 

I. Why did I enter this holy state ? 
God called me to it by a very special 
grace, that I might be saved therein. I 
entered with no other intention than to 
sanctify myself. I was then firmly resolved 
to cooperate with the grace of my vocation, 
and most conscientiously to fulfil all its 
duties. This holy place opened its doors 
to receive me, hoping I would be an honor 
to it and would gather for myself an abun- 
dance of merits. 

179 



i8o HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Such were the designs of God ; such the 
sentiments of my heart ; such the hopes of 
this holy Institute. Nothing, then, seemed 
difficult or painful to me ; everything 
appeared sweet and easy. Happy days ! 
why have I not constantly preserved you 
with me ? O that my sentiments were 
now as holy and as noble s as formerly ! 
"Who will grant that I might be accord- 
ing to the months past; according to the 
days in which God kept me ? . . . As I 
was in the days of my youth, when God 
was secretly in my tabernacle ? When the 
Almighty was with me " (Job xxix. 2-5). 

II. What have I done since my entrance 
into this holy state ? Do I correspond to 
God's designs over me, and remain faithful 
to my vocation ? Have I always fulfilled 
His most holy will ? Have I always fol- 
lowed His divine inspirations ? Have I 
always responded to what He had the 



THE RELIGIOUS STATE. i8i 

right to expect of me? Have I, after re- 
ceiving so many graces in religion, become 
more fervent and more holy ? What have 
I as yet done for God ? What vices have 
I extirpated ? What virtues have I sown ? 
What sacrifices have I made for His sake? 
What victories have I won over myself? 
Have I made any real progress in the ways 
of God, in which I should have constantly 
and courageously walked ? 

In the meantime what graces have I not 
received, and how little fruit have they 
produced in me ? Alas ! I have nothing 
to show but many good desires and very 
little fruit; nothing but many generous 
resolutions and very few of them fulfilled ; 
nothing but numerous invitations on the 
part of God and so little correspondence 
on my part. If henceforth I do not more 
earnestly attend to myself, my whole life 
will glide away fruitlessly and, at the end 



1 82 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

of my course, I shall find myself as tepid, 
as careless, and as slothful as I now am, 
or even still more unfaithful and imperfect. 
Alas ! when I entered this holy Institute, I 
was so fervent, so generous, so eager for 
perfection; and now — how disgraceful for 
me ! 

III. What can be more important for 
me than to resume my first fervor? Yes, 
Lord, I understand it now. It is now time 
and most necessary for me to enter seri- 
ously into myself, and to renew myself 
completely and resume my first fervor. 
Yes, Lord, I now renew my former resolu- 
tions of sanctifying myself at any and every 
cost : — 

1. I renew these resolutions in a spirit 
of gratitude for the infinitely great graces 
Thou hast bestowed on me. 

2. I renew them in a spirit of penance 
for all my past faults and unfaithfulness. 



THE REUGIOUS STATE. 183 

3. I renew them in a spirit of fidelity 
in order henceforth to be more true to 
Thee in the discharge of my duties and to 
perform them more punctually. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Consideration for the Anniversary of 
One's Profession. 

I. It is already so many years since I 
belong to God by the vows of religion, 
and this is the anniversary of the happy 
day on which I gave myself unreservedly 
to Him. What did I intend, or should 
have intended, to do in making my pro- 
fession ? To consecrate myself wholly and 
unreservedly to God, that I might be all 
His all the days of my life in this holy 
state. To Him I consecrated my mind, 
that I might not think any longer of any- 
thing besides Him, that I might, occupy 
myself with nothing but Him, and renounce 

184 



ANNIVERSARY OF ONE'S PROFESSION. 185 

all care of things earthly and transitory. 
To Him I consecrated my heart, that I 
might love nothing besides Him, that I 
might love Him alone, and cling to Him 
alone, and direct to Him alone all my 
inclinations and affections. To Him I 
consecrated my body and its senses, that I 
might make of them so many offerings 
ready to suffer all, and even death itself, 
for His love and honor. To Him I con- 
secrated my soul, my whole self, that I 
might be of the number of His constantly 
true friends, who have wholly dedicated 
themselves to His service and already here 
on earth imitate the angels ; in a word, 
that I might be espoused to Jesus Christ. 
Such was my object, my intention, when I 
consecrated myself to God. I then real- 
ized the extent of the obligations I as- 
sumed, and promised to discharge then^ 
most faithfully. 



1 86 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

II. But how have I fulfilled these obli- 
gations ? Here, O Lord, I must judge 
myself and pass due sentence over myself 
in accordance with the obligations I so 
fervently assumed. Am I really a victim 
wholly and exclusively consecrated to God ? 
Is my soul truly the spouse of Christ, the 
heavenly Bridegroom ? Is my mind occu- 
pied with no other object than with Him 
alone and with His infinite perfections ? 
Does my heart cling to no one else than 
to Him and His infinite loveliness ? Have 
I oflFered my body and my senses to Him 
as a victim ? Am I really dead to the 
world and to myself and to creatures ? 
Has my life been really like that of an 
angel, and an imitation of Christ's ? Is it 
He alone who has hitherto lived in me 
and quickened my whole conduct with His 
spirit ? What am I in reaHty before Him, 
and how does He look upon me? 



CHAPTER XV. 

Marks of Tepidity. 

1. To recite vocal prayers and make 
meditation only from habit, without atten- 
tion, fervor or devotion, and hence without 
fruit and profit; — not to combat distrac- 
tions, to defer, interrupt, shorten, or even 
sometimes entirely omit these exercises 
without sufficient reason. 

2. To make the examinations of con- 
science only superficially, drowsily, and 
without real sorrow and earnest resolution. 

3. To make practical distinctions between 
important and unimportant rules, obliga- 
tions and customs of the Institute, in order 
frivolously to disregard the so-called little 

187 



1 88 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

things, not bearing in mind that it is some- 
thing great, and not seldom heroic, to be 
always faithful in little things, and that, as a 
rule, our fidelity in greater things depends 
on our previous fidelity in little things. 

4. To be occupied willingly in exterior 
employments, not in order to do good, but 
out of love of distraction and of eagerness 
for news, and because one lives in dissipation 
of mind and is averse to recollection. 

5. To be too fond of intercourse with 
seculars, and to fail therein in religious 
modesty, dignity and prudence, and to 
show therein vanity and an unmortified 
spirit. 

6. To be eager for human consolation, 
to impart to others and to complain to 
them of one's trials, pains and troubles, and 
seek only human sympathy and comfort. 

7. Willingly to speak of others, of their 
affairs, and of their faults, uncharitably to 



MARKS OF TEPIDITY. 189 

criticise, to find fault with them, not excuse 
them, to have no esteem for fraternal 
charity. 

8. To consider burdensome and to carry 
unwillingly the yoke of religious discipline, 
and especially of obedience ; not willingly 
to submit one's judgment and will and 
render them conformable to the will and 
judgment of the superior ; to lose one's 
peace and composure at humiliations and 
corrections, and not to endeavor to conquer 
one's self therein. 

9. To yield to sensuality in eating and 
drinking, in sleep, — either out of the proper 
time or too long, — in sitting down, and in 
the use of exterior penances ; to seek one's 
ease, not to mortify one's senses and 
passions. 

10. Not carefully to shun the occasions 
and dangers of sinning. 

11. Not willingly to speak or listen to 



I90 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

others speaking of God and on spiritual 
subjects. 

12. Not to heed and obey the inspira- 
tions of grace ; to commit again and again 
the same faults without fear and without 
remorse. 

13. To care nothing about one's imper- 
fections and faults, to be indifferent towards 
one's progress in perfection, or even 
towards one's vocation ; not to use the 
proper means of sanctification. 

14. To go to confession without sincere 
sorrow and firm purpose of amendment, to 
receive holy Communion without devotion, 
reverence, and spiritual hunger, and only 
from habit ; to assist at holy Mass and 
other divine services without fervor and 
recollection, and hence to derive from these 
holy exercises but little or no profit. 

15. Willingly to associate with those who 
lack fervor and who charge all that do not 



MARKS OF TEPIDITY. 191 

chime in with them with being scrupulous 
and excessively worried on account of trifles. 
Such are the principal marks of tepidity. 
The possession of even one of them should 
be for us a subject of fear. If, however, 
we possess several or even all of them, 
there is no longer any doubt of our being 
in the dangerous state of tepidity. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Marks of a Fervent Religious. 

The perfection of a religious does not 
consist, as is sometimes imagined, in under- 
taking great things, in reciting long prayers, 
or in sublime contemplation, in practising 
excessive austerities and mortifications, in 
performing heroic acts of virtue ; in a word, 
it does not consist in walking in an extraor- 
dinary way and distinguishing one's self 
by a singular mode of life, or by making 
one's self prominent before the world. We 
are to seek perfection only in the faithful 
keeping of our vows and in the strict 
observance of our rules and constitutions. 
The following points alone are to be 

192 



MARKS OF A FERVENT RELIGIOUS. 193 

remarked in the conduct of a fervent 
religious : — 

1. In regard to God the fervent religious 
punctually performs all his exercises of piety 
in accordance with the spirit of God and 
of his holy Institute. Or, to enter more 
into details, he recites all his vocal prayers 
with attention, makes his meditations with 
fervor and his spiritual reading consider- 
ately, receives holy Communion with due 
preparation, and performs all his actions 
with a pure intention, solely to please and 
serve God, with inviolable fidelity to grace, 
with perfect conformity to the divine will, 
with the most intimate union of his heart 
with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, who 
deigned to call him to so holy and exalted 
a state. 

2. In regard to his neighbor he is full 
of respect and esteem in accordance with 
the divine law and his own conscience ; he 



194 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

is charitable and obliging, meek, patient, and 
indulgent towards others ; bears their ill- 
humor with composure, excuses their faults, 
sympathizes with them in their sufferings 
and trials, forestalls their desires and wishes, 
most carefully shuns all cutting remarks, 
bitter complaints, unpleasant retorts, all 
kinds of dissatisfaction, all coldness and un- 
feelingness. He seeks occasions to oblige 
them, to render them service, and this 
without exacting gratitude in return. He 
is never more pleased than when he can 
befriend them. He gives to all a good 
example, helps and consoles them, and does 
all he can to contribute to the happiness 
of those with whom he lives. 

3. In regard to himself he is all humility, 
retirement and watchfulness. In him reigns 
a constant equanimity with a cheerful peace 
of mind. He is always perfectly composed 
and devoid of obstinacy, uneasiness, confu- 



MARKS OF A FERVENT RELIGIOUS. 195 

sion, pride and arrogance. Without hypoc- 
risy or duplicity he considers himself as the 
servant of all, and sees in his neighbor Jesus 
Christ Himself. He neither seeks human 
applause, nor yields to the cravings of vanity, 
self-love and self-complacency, and cheer- 
fully devotes himself to promoting the glory 
of God in whatever place, employment or 
rank, obedience and divine providence may 
place him. 

In short, a fervent religious shows in his 
whole conduct and in his actions nothing 
singular or extraordinary, but he imparts a 
sublime elevation and value to all his actions 
and to his whole conduct by his exalted 
motives, by the wholly divine exercise of an 
interior and recollected life, of walking in 
the presence of God, of desire for perfection, 
and by his consideration and expectation of 
heavenly bliss. 

Thus have many religious lived, e.g.y 



196 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

a St. Aloysius Gonzaga, in whose life there 
was seen nothing grand or extraordinary, 
and who, by the exercises of an apparently 
ordinary life, raised himself to a very high 
degree of holiness. St. Mary Magdalen de 
Pazzi once beheld him in a vision clothed 
with brightest glory, at which sight she was 
so full of astonishment and wonder, that she 
fell into an ecstasy. How did St. Aloysius 
reach such a height of virtue and glory? 
By constant fidelity to grace, by the faithful 
performance of all his duties, by his " inner 
and hidden life," so full of treasures of merits, 
so unknown to the world, but so pleasing to 
God and richly rewarded by Him. 

This grand model urges us to lead a 
perfect life, and corrects our many former 
errors concerning piety. It is very consol- 
ing to timorous souls, who do not feel 
strong enough to take a lofty flight like the 
eagle, but who can gather therefrom the 



MARKS OF A FERVENT RELIGIOUS. 197 

hope of attaining, even step by step, that 
degree of perfection to which they are 
called by their state and the grace of God. 

Let us also keep in view this exalted 
model, that he may serve us as a mirror 
wherein to contemplate how we may trace 
in us all his traits and adapt to them our 
heart, our sentiments and our conduct. 



CHAPTER XVIL 

Motives for serving God Every Day 
More and More Fervently. 

1. Consider who God is, and how exalted 
He is, and how very worthy He is of all 
love and service. He who would esteem his 
own shadow more than himself, would de- 
serve to be laughed at. And how much 
greater is the folly of him who prefers a 
creature to God Himself! Consider with 
the eyes of faith the love and reverence the 
angels bear to God, and weigh well these 
words of the Psalmist, " Lord, who is like 
unto thee ? " (Ps. xxxviii. lo.) 

2. Consider what the Son of God has 
done and suffered for thee, and say with 

19S 



SERVING GOD EVERY DAY, 199 

St. Bernard, "If because God created me, 
I was already bound to serve Him with all 
that I am and have, what do I not owe 
Him for having redeemed me, and this at 
so great a price ? " 

3. Consider how, according to God's 
will and the end of thy Institute, thou art 
obliged, after thy Saviour's example, to 
strive to lead a poor, sinless and perfect 
life. If thou dost not strive to do it, thou 
art a useless burden to thy Order and to 
thyself and companions, and, most assuredly, 
not pleasing to the good God. Art thou 
not ashamed thus to grieve thy Institute, 
which has been so good and tender a mother 
to thee ? Wilt thou not be put to confusion 
for this at the day of judgment ? 

4. Reflect on the many and great benefits 
God has conferred on thee. Hadst thou 
received no other benefit from Him than the 
vocation to the religious life, thou couldst 



200 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

not sufficiently thank Him for it by serving 
Him with all possible fervor. From how 
many evils, dangers, sins and sinful occasions 
has He not preserved thee ? And how 
many powerful graces and means of perfec- 
tion has He not bestowed on thee ? What 
wouldst thou now be, if thou hadst re- 
mained in the world? How disgraceful is. 
it not for thee, if, out of gratitude for such 
excellent unmerited favors, thou dost not 
serve God with the greatest fervor ! 

5. Consider that eternal bliss is well worth 
our serving God most faithfully and fer- 
vently. The road thou hast to travel is, 
indeed, difficult, yet forget not whither it 
leads. Short are the labors and hardships, 
but endless are the joys that follow. 

6. Consider, on the one hand, the 
beauty and excellence of virtue, and, on the 
other, the deformity and loathsomeness of 
vice and sin. 



I 



SERVING GOD EVERY DAY. 201 

7. Most vividly call to mind how God 
has mercifully forgiven thee so many and 
so grievous sins, and behold therein a power- 
ful incentive to show thyself grateful to Him 
every day by serving Him fervently. 

8. Consider seriously the vanity and 
brevity of the present life, the endlessness 
of the next life, the certainty of death, the 
uncertainty of when it will come ; the 
horrible torments of hell and the ineffable 
happiness in heaven of those who, during 
life, earnestly and fervently strive after per- 
fection. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Means against Temptations. 

1. Be persuaded that we must undergo 
temptations, lest we grow careless and lead 
from day to day a life of levity. Hence in 
time of peace act prudently, lest thou be 
unprepared when the evil one assails thee, 
for he aims at causing men so to live, as if 
they already enjoyed everlasting peace. 

2. Make an act of love of God as soon 
as thou art aware of being tempted, whether 
it be against holy purity or against humility, 
or whether it be only some scruple, or some 
other suggestion of Satan. Hence say to 
the devil in mocking : " All right ! Thou 
comest quite opportunely to me. Since 

202 



MEANS AGAINST TEMPTATIONS. 203 

thou comest without being called, I will 
make use of thee as a means of admonishing 
and urging me to love God." Thus will 
the wiles of Satan seeking thy ruin become 
for thee a food of life, and a source of many 
merits, so that the fiend will be careful not 
to come so soon again, seeing that he is 
made to serve thy soul as an encouragement 
and an incentive to virtue. Call to mind 
the divine benefits, and say with the pious 
Joseph in Egypt, " How then can I do this 
wicked thing, and sin against my God ? " 
(Gen. xxxix. 9.) 

3. Excite in thyself feelings directly op- 
posed to the temptation, for poison is ren- 
dered harmless by antidotes. For instance, 
thou art tempted by impure feelings ; make 
thy body suffer, in order to stifle them in 
their origin. If thou art tempted to anger 
and spite, pray for those who are the occa- 
sion of such feelings. Act in like manner 



204 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

concerning all other evil inclinations. This 
means is so much the more effective, as it 
decisively combats self-love. 

4. Thou shouldst not consider or ac- 
knowledge temptations as chastisements, for 
by them God incites us to seek refuge and 
help from Him, to own our own nothing- 
ness and to learn what He demands of us. 
Hence we should look upon temptations as 
divine favors, and thank God for the oppor- 
tunity of being able in some things to carry 
our cross with Jesus Christ, wholly resigned 
to the divine will. Yea, and even more ; 
we ought sincerely to rejoice over the temp-' 
tations, according to the counsel of St. 
James, " Count it all joy, when you shall fall 
into diverse temptations" (Chap. I., v. 2); 
and why ? because as God said to St. Paul, 
"Virtue is perfected in infirmity," that is, 
the more numerous the temptations we have 
to sustain against a virtue, the more we 



MEANS AGAINST TEMPTATIONS. 205 

become perfect therein, for the constant 
efforts to overcome them are the best teach- 
ers of virtue. 

5. Love tenderly the Most Blessed 
Virgin Mary, and have so unlimited a con- 
fidence in her, as to hold it as impossible 
for her to allow a child of hers to perish in 
combating sin. In time of temptation flee 
at once under her mantle, as a pullet seeks 
refuge under the wings of the hen, and say, 
for instance : " O Mary, show thyself a 
Mother to me ! O my Lady, I am suffer- 
ing violence, hasten to my assistance ! '* 

6. Remember the four last things. Im- 
press on thy mind some striking saying con- 
cerning each one of them, and recall to mind 
in temptations at one time the saying con- 
cerning death, at another time that concern- 
ing judgment, etc. But as the devil may 
try to prevent thee from remembering any 
of them when he tempts thee, it will prove 



2o6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

very useful if, when free from temptation, 
thou often exercisest thyself in recalling 
those sayings, so as to become accustomed 
to them. 

7. Disclose all thy temptations to thy 
spiritual father. Such sincerity often pro- 
duces admirable, yea, even wonderful, effects, 
on account of the humility practised therein. 

8. Humble thyself at once most willingly 
before God, acknowledging thy sinfulness, 
and that thou deservest still greater trials, 
saying, " It is meet, O Lord, that I should 
suffer this, for it is far less than I have 
deserved/' 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Mottoes, Maxims, and Resolutions for 
Frequent Consideration. 

1. The religious who does not make 
progress in perfection goes backward. What 
was thy object in entering religion ? What 
didst thou then wish ? 

2. The religious who mingles in things 
foreign to his duties neglects himself and 
his duties. 

3. A religious cannot serve God without 
mastering himself. 

4. How can a religious die in the Lord, 
if in life he did not labor for God ? 

5. Neither speak nor curiously inquire 
about what concerns thee not. 

207 



2o8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

6. He serves not God who seeks conso- 
lation in the religious state. 

7. Woe to the religious who is ill-tem- 
pered among the pious. 

8. He who loves poverty possesses all 
things. Of worldly things choose the worst, 
and of heavenly things the best. 

9. He is not poor who does not wish to 
feel the effects of poverty. To have the 
name of being poor and, at the same time, 
to enjoy the comforts of wealth is to deceive 
men. 

10. He is not chaste who does not flee 
the occasions of impurity. 

11. He is not obedient who, whilst ex- 
teriorly submitting to orders, contradicts, 
murmurs and criticises. 

12. It is better to bear an injury in 
silence and without murmur than to fast 
several days till evening. .^ 

13. The supposition that in another con- 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 209 

vent, under another superior, among other 
companions, in another employment, in 
other circumstances, one would make greater 
progress and be better satisfied, has already 
deceived many. Some in a few years have 
tried every kind of change consecutively, 
without becoming better, more happy or 
more contented. God has placed us where 
we are ; let us remain where we now are 
until it shall please Him to call us away. 
Where in the world is there a rose without 
thorns ? 

14. A religious should love what world- 
lings hate. 

15. The life and example of the clergy 
and of religious is life or death to the laity. 

16. He does not lead a spiritual life who 
does not strive to shun venial sin. 

17. The devil hunts and attacks vigor- 
ously the slothful religious. 

18. That religious is not yet dead to the 



2IO HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

world, who is greatly concerned about his 
relatives and friends in the world. 

19. The devil plays hand-ball with a vain 
and unmortified religious. 

20. No one is more happy under the 
sun than the religious who loves God, his 
superior and his cell. 

21. The religious who strives after per- 
fection should willingly and fervently em- 
brace all that is painful, burdensome and 
disagreeable, all that requires combats, self- 
restraint and self-denial. He should, in- 
deed, prefer these to all that is agreeable to 
the sensual man. He should never hearken 
to the seductive voice of nature, but always 
follow the inspirations of grace leading to 
life eternal. 

22. Only he who is a slave to his inordi- 
nate inclinations and lacks a childlike con- 
fidence in God, becomes uneasy and impatient 
when he meets an obstacle. Thou shalt 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 211 

live uneasy as long as a single evil inclina- 
tion or desire reigns in thee, although all 
the others had already been overcome. 

23. He who does not hearken to his 
superior as to God's representative will not 
be recognized by God as His child. 

24. No one can be crowned in religion 
until he has lawfully combated. 

25. He who wishes to reform others 
without first reforming himself undertakes 
a fruitless task. 

26. I shall be a true child of my Order 
as long as I am candid and sincere towards 
my superior. 

27. I will not be ashamed of being looked 
upon as striving after true devotion and 
spiritual perfection. 

28. I will never bother myself about 
offices that may be later intrusted to me, 
but will abandon myself to God's designs, 
and put my trust in Him alone. 



212 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

29. I will withdraw myself from creatures 
and seek God, and I shall surely find Him. 

30. I will cling to no creature ; I will 
rely on no one, save on God and my su- 
periors. 

31. If I do not become holy whilst I am 
young, I shall never become so. 

32. When my superiors give me a com- 
mand, I will never inquire wherefore. 

2^. I will follow the Community and 
avoid all singularity. 

34. I will in all things act In opposition 
to the maxims of the world. 

35. I will hold that spiritual things and 
the practice of virtue are of greater impor- 
tance than skill and other natural gifts. 

26. If I am not well versed in prayer and 
meditation, I shall never live tranquilly in 
my state. 

37. I will not be ashamed to put into 
practice all I learned in the noviciate. 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 213 

38. I will be as careful of the honor of 
my Order as any one can be of his own. 

39. He who wishes to be a child of 
Mary and of his Order should preserve his 
chastity. 

40. If the good name of thy Order is 
dear to thee, observe faithfully its discipline 
and be devoted to its honor, and when it 
is time to speak, speak on spiritual subjects. 

41. Beware of being a burden and a cross 
to thy superiors or to any one else, but 
strive to give pleasure to all. 

42. In my Institute I will consider myself 
as a beggar admitted out of charity ; I will 
look upon as a favor all that is done to me. 

43. What doth it avail me to live long in 
my Order if I do not attain its object and 
end ? 

44. In the observance of my rule and the 
fulfilment of my resolutions, I will pay no 
heed to what others may say. 



214 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

45. I will at all times walk in the strait 
way, without heeding what others may say. 

46. It is easier to engage in spiritual dis- 
course with a few than with many ; but we 
should not do this with always the same 
companions, but at one time with one, and 
at another time with some one else. 

47. When I commit a fault deserving 
of punishment, I will humbly ask for a 
penance. 

48. I will choose a day in every month 
on which to read over my resolutions and 
renew myself in spirit. 

49. I will go every week to my superior 
to give an account of three things : whether 
I kept silence, whether I discoursed on 
spiritual subjects, whether I have kept my 
resolutions. 

50. I will rather let my health suffer than 
wilfully transgress, or fail to keep without 
dispensation, a constitution or a rule. 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 215 

51. I will endeavor to consider God in 
the person of all my superiors. 

52. I will be faithful especially in spirit- 
ual things : e,g.^ in making meditation, the 
examinations of conscience, spiritual reading. 

^2i' I will not be ashamed to avail myself 
of every occasion to speak on spiritual sub- 
jects, and for this I will willingly go with 
the simple and the less refined. 

54. In the convent I am not the master, 
but the servant of all, and in this should my 
honor and glory consist. For how should I 
wish to rule, since Jesus Christ came, not to 
be served, but to serve us, and the Blessed 
Virgin called herself only the handmaid of 
the Lord. 

55. Why, O my soul, dost thou do what 
thou shalt later repent of in thy cell ? 

56. If thou wishest to know whether 
thou lovest thy vocation, examine whether 
thou lovest mortification. Thy vocation is 



2i6 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and how 
canst thou be His disciple, if thou dost not 
wish to be crucified with Him ? 

57. I will spare no effort to maintain a 
constant peace and interior joy. 

58. The renunciation of self-love is a 
mortification, by virtue of which thou act- 
est, not as thou likest either interiorly or 
exteriorly, but only according to the good 
pleasure of God and of thy superiors. 

59. Obedience consists in the union of 
our will with the divine will, and in per- 
forming what God inspires us to do. 

60. There is hardly a rule without excep- 
tion ; but this one has none, " Nothing is 
comparable to God." 

61. The world is nothing to him to 
whom God is everything. 

62. The time misspent during prayer is 
taken away from God. 

6 2. We offer sufficient atonement for our 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 217 

sins, if we perform all our actions with the 
intention of pleasing God ; in this there is 
great perfection. 

64. The great progress of the soul in 
virtue consists not in thinking much on 
God, but in loving Him much. 

6^. Blessed is he who loves without 
desiring to be loved ; blessed is he who 
serves and does not desire to be served. 

66. He vvho wishes to enjoy peace and 
tranquillity should hold everybody else to 
be better and more pleasing to God than 
himself 

67. Meekness is a sure sign of innocence 
kept or recovered. 

68. Those who are devoted to piety and 
frequent the sacraments, but do not perform 
the works of faith and charity, are like trees 
in blossom, which are expected to produce 
as many fruits as they have blossoms ; but 
what happens ? 



21 8 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

69. In order to be humble not in word 
only, but in heart also, it does not suffice to 
assert that we deserve contempt ; no, but we 
should rejoice also when others despise us. 
Thou art not yet humble, if thou dost not 
patiently bear disdain and contempt. 

70. God imposes the greatest trials on 
those He loves most. 

71. He who endeavors to lighten the 
Lord's yoke, renders it only the heavier ; 
and he who tries to make it heavier, renders 
it only the lighter. 

72. Precipitateness and restlessness do 
not contribute to the success of a good 
work. To desire its success is good, but it 
should be without anxiety. 

73. God occupies Himself with me, as if 
I were alone in the world. It is also meet 
that I should occupy myself with Him, as 
if besides Him there were nobody and noth- 
ing in the universe. 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 219 

74. Meditate often on the passion of 
Jesus Christ, thy King. He endured tor- 
ments only to win thee and thy heart. 

75. Be truly humble, and thou wilt never 
think that any injustice is done to thee. 

76. Do not imagine that thou hast made 
any progress in perfection, if thou dost not 
consider thyself the least of all. 

77. He has only the appearance of humil- 
ity who, though he humbles himself, cannot 
bear to be humbled by others. 

78. To be humble and devoid of merit 
is a necessity. To be humble and possessed 
of some merit is praiseworthy. But to be 
humble whilst possessing great merits is 
true and genuine humility. 

79. If thou wishest to learn and know 
something very useful, learn and love to be 
unknown and to be considered as nothing. 

80. He who attentively considers his sins 
and faults, and what he was and is before 



220 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

God, looks upon human praise as scorn and 
mockery. 

8 1. On the feasts of the saints meditate 
on their virtues, and beseech God to impart 
them to thee. 

82. The most secure and ordinary road 
to holiness is that of suffering. 

83. When thou crossest a street, reflect 
that thou art not a painter nor a teacher of 
drawing. 

84. What thou dost not want God to see, 
do not do ; think not what thou dost not 
want Him to know, nor say what thou dost 
not wish Him to hear. 

85. A true servant of Jesus Christ suffers 
patiently, speaks little, works much for Jesus 
Christ, and considers it a great gain if, with- 
out any fault on his part, he has to suffer 
something. 

86. We complain of our sufferings ; we 
should have greater reason to complain, had 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 221 

we nothing to suffer, for nothing renders us 
more like Jesus Christ than to carry our 
cross. 

87. Do not complain of pains, sufferings, 
and adversity before casting a glance at 
thy crucifix and thinking on the twofold 
eternity. 

88. He makes the greatest progress in 
religious life and virtue who manfully strives 
to overcome whatever he finds most difficult 
and disagreeable. 

89. Incense emits no odor nor ascends 
upward, unless it burns ; and it is in suffer- 
ing that we prove our love of God and our 
fidelity to Him. 

90. The road to the Mount of Olives is 
steep indeed ; but the Mount of Olives 
is also the Mount of the Ascension. Those 
who suffer with Jesus Christ will be also 
glorified with Him. 

91. Suffer with Jesus Christ, for Jesus 



222 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Christ, and for the love of Jesus Christ. 
Christ wished to suffer and to be despised ; 
and thou wouldst yet complain ! 

92. Do not divide thy heart, giving one 
part to God and the other to the world. 
Thou canst not serve two masters. More- 
over, such a division would be unfair and un- 
just, since God justly demands and deserves 
thy whole heart. 

93. When we have once so far progressed 
as no longer to seek any human consola- 
tion, we then begin to relish spiritual and 
heavenly things. 

94. We should not imagine we are able 
to please everybody. 

95. We should expect a just return, not 
from men, but from God alone. 

96. We should observe in our neighbor 
only his virtues and advantages, and in 
ourselves only our faults and imperfections. 

97. He who severely judges his own 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 223 

deeds, finds no reason to condemn others, 
but is inclined rather to excuse them. 

98. Do not easily excuse thyself; of 
thyself say nothing praiseworthy, nothing 
derogatory ; the former is vanity, and the 
latter seldom sincere. 

99. Set thy hands to work, and turn thy 
eyes towards the grave, towards heaven and 
God. 

100. If thou wishest to live in great 
tranquillity and true peace, thy most ardent 
desires should be to see God in the next 
life, thy greatest fear to lose Him, thy most 
bitter pain not yet to enjoy Him, and thy 
greatest joy all that can lead thee to Him. 

1 01. Free thy heart from all that is 
created and seek God alone, and thou shalt 
find Him. 

102. Severity towards ourselves should 
render us more meek, indulgent and affable 
towards others. The most wicked are the 



224 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

severest judges of the conduct of their 
fellow-men ; this arises from malice, or 
hypocrisy, or a false zeal. We naturally 
judge of others by ourselves. 

103. If our neighbor's act has one hun- 
dred sides, we should always look at it from 
its most favorable side. When the sinfulness 
of an act no longer admits of vindication, 
we should at least seek to excuse it and 
admit that the intention was good. But 
if this is impossible, we should at least 
make allowance for the violence of the 
temptation, for the ignorance, impulsiveness 
or human frailty of the one who committed 
the fault. 

104. The evil-doer cannot condone his 
own fault in others ; he sees it clearly 
enough to blame it in others ; but he is 
blind to it in himself and too weak to 
extirpate it. 

105. Great wisdom and well-grounded 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 225 

humility consist in having a low opinion 
of one's self and a good and exalted 
opinion of others. 

106. We should flee nothing more care- 
fully than sloth, sadness and dangerous 
familiarities. 

107. To bear cheerfully, gratefully and 
lovingly the daily little inconveniences that 
are inseparable from our vocation, is a 
constant and most profitable exercise of 
mortification. 

108. We cannot live on earth without 
adversity. If we possess interior peace, we 
meet with exterior trouble. If we have 
nothing to suffer externally, our interior is 
a prey to sadness, discouragement and 
anxiety. If God consoles us, the evil 
spirit in a rage harasses us with tempta- 
tions. If the devil does not molest us, God 
withdraws His light and consolation from 
us. And when there is nothing else to 

Q 



226 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

disturb us, we give ourselves no rest and 
are troubled by our own fancies. 

109. Do not fear God if thou canst love 
Him ; but that thou mayst love Him, fear 
Him. 

no. He who seeks to attain interior 
quiet and recollection should so conduct 
himself, as if he had no eyes to see, no ears 
to hear. Whatever God has not prescribed 
to him, he should consider as no concern 
. of his. He should especially avoid occupy- 
ing himself with the actions, the manners, 
the conduct, the faults and imperfections of 
others. 

111. He who performs more than he 
ought, performs less than he ought. 

112. I will consider and employ each day 
as if it were my last ; one day shall surely 
be my last ; but which one ? 

113. On judgment day we shall not be 
asked what we have read and spoken, but 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 227 

what we have done ; not how beautifully we 
have spoken, but how piously and purely 
we have lived. 

114. Attend to thyself. What others do 
is no concern of thine. Follow Jesus Christ. 

115. Thou art as great and as good as 
thou art before God ; neither more nor less. 

116. Beware lest, on account of thy 
negligence, God take away from thee the 
tenderness of thy conscience, and leave it 
insensible in thee. 

117. Nothing is more precious than the 
love wherewith thou mayst purchase heaven. 
It is the greatest waste and folly to love 
what is transitory, or even sinful. 

118. Shun what displeases thee in others, 
but imitate what pleases thee in them. 

119. It profiteth me nothing to gain the 
whole world at the risk of my soul. 

120. Thy spiritual progress is in propor- 
tion to thy self-denial. 



228 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

121. Act like a tender mother towards 
others, but like a severe judge towards 
thyself. 

122. "Never omit to overcome thyself 
at any cost. Keep thy passions under 
restraint, and often choose what is most 
opposed to sensuality. Above all, over- 
come thy natural ambition, and do this 
unsparingly. Do not rest or quit until 
thou hast rooted out of thy heart all pride, 
and not only willingly suffer thyself to be 
placed below every one, but also rejoice at 
the contempt shown thee ; for rest assured 
that, without this humility and self-denial, 
thou canst neither make any progress in 
virtue nor prove useful to thy neighbor 
and pleasing to God " (St. Francis Xavier). 

123. I will often and unceasingly have 
recourse, in all humility and unlimited con- 
fidence, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the 
source of all graces and the model of all 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 229 

virtues, and also to the immaculate and 
loving heart of Mary, through whom 
chiefly all heavenly blessings flow to 
us. 

124. With the utmost fervor I will ven- 
erate the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Most 
Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and my 
guardian angel. 

125. I will often during the day raise my 
heart to God by short and fervent aspirations 
and the renewal of a pure intention. 

126. I will most carefully abstain from 
judging others and mingling in their con- 
cerns. What I cannot excuse I will com- 
passionate, considering my own weakness 
and sinfulness, and saying a Hail Mary for 
the amendment of the culprit. 

127. I will always speak to every one in 
a friendly, respectful and humble manner. 

128. There rained no manna so long as 
the flour from Egypt lasted ; that is, God 



230 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

gives us no interior consolations, unless we 
mortify our flesh. 

129. Those who wish to do what they 
ought not, shall have to do later what they 
wish not. 

130. When Jesus Christ withdraws from 
me and leaves me without consolation, I 
will not allow my heart to be disturbed, 
for He will come again. But I will 
constantly look for Him, and when the 
world or the flesh assails me, I will exclaim : 
" Lord, whither shall I go ? Thou hast the 
words of eternal life." 

131. He who is or, at least, strives to 
become perfect, rejoices over that which 
causes displeasure, vexation and sadness to 
the tepid and imperfect. 

132. My soul, what doth it profit thee to 
be loved by men, if, like Pilate, thou losest 
the friendship of Jesus Christ on account of 
that love ? 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 231 

133. Our Lord Jesus Christ, though 
aware of the excessive weakness of His 
body, nevertheless took up the cross ; and 
thou, my soul, through pusillanimity, refus- 
est to take up the prescriptions of obedience. 
Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus Christ to carry 
His cross, and Jesus Christ Himself will help 
thee to carry thine, if only, for His sake, 
thou courageously takest it up. 

134. Jesus Christ, the world, Satan and 
the flesh are seeking me ; but none of them 
can find me, unless I will it. If the world, 
Satan and the flesh find me, they will, like 
famished Hons, devour me. Jesus Christ 
alone will make me happy, if He finds me. 

sweetest Jesus, I will that Thou shouldst 
find and possess me. If Thou findest me, 

1 shall find Thee and this will suffice for 
me. 

135. If thou canst not meditate on sub- 
lime mysteries, reflect on the passion of 



232 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

Jesus Christ, and rest willingly in His 
sacred wounds. 

136. He who diligently considers our 
Lord's life and passion will find in abun- 
dance therein all that is useful and necessary 
for his spiritual life. 

137. I will carefully consider what I have 
to do, and not what others are doing. 

138. Accustom thyself to excuse others 
out of true charity, and to be thoughtful of 
their welfare in all things. 

139. Why dost thou wish to see that 
which has no value in thy eyes? Modesty 
of the eyes preserves from many sins and 
is the mother of piety. 

140. The best means of acquiring self- 
mastery is to renounce thy judgment and 
thy self-will. ^^ Let him that wishes to 
follow Me,'' says Christ, " deny himself" 

141. The renunciation of one's judgment 
consists in the mortification of every 



MOTTOES, MAXIMS, RESOLUTIONS. 233 

opinion that accords not with the divine 
will and the judgment of reasonable men. 

142. He that does not highly esteem 
prayer, cannot long remain in the spiritual 
road. Prayer is opposed to Satan ; hence 
he does all he can to prevent it. 

143. Self-contempt is the shortest way to 
perfection and the beginning of great peace 
of mind. 

144. Be but little and be small in thy 
own eyes, and desire to be also thus con- 
sidered ; and when thou art so treated, be 
not sad, but rejoice. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

(Chiefly from St. Alphonsus.) 

I. " The lover of souls, our most loving 
Redeemer/' says St. Alphonsus, " declared 
that He had no other motive in coming 
down upon earth to become man than to 
enkindle in the hearts of men the fire of His 
holy love, ^ I am come to cast fire on earth 
and what will I but that it be kindled ' *' 
(Luke XXII. 49). And, oh, what beautiful 
flames of love has He not enkindled in so 
many souls, especially by the torments He 
chose to suffer in His death, that He might 
prove to us His immeasurable love for us ! 
And how many souls, happy in the wounds 

234 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 235 

of Jesus, as in glowing furnaces of love, have 
been so inflamed with His love, that they 
have willingly consecrated to Him their 
goods, their lives, their whole selves, cou- 
rageously surmounting all the difficulties 
which they had to encounter. St. Augustine, 
all inflamed with love at the sight of Jesus 
nailed on the cross, prayed thus sweetly, 
" Imprint, O Lord, Thy wounds in my heart, 
that I may read therein suflfering and love ; 
suflfering, that I may endure for Thee all 
suffering, and love, that for Thee I may 
despise all love." 

2. And from what source did the saints 
draw courage and strength to suflTer tor- 
ments, martyrdom and death, if not from 
the sufferings of Jesus crucified ? " When 
we raise our eyes to contemplate Jesus on 
the cross," says St. Teresa, " we perceive 
how insignificant are all our sufferings. He 
who thinks on the Redeemer's wounds and 



236 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

recalls the torments He endured, will not 
dare to complain of his own little trials, for 
our sufferings can bear no comparison with 
His." " Think often on Jesus crucified," 
says St. Francis de Sales ; " consider Him 
covered with wounds, filled with sadness, 
despoiled of everything, and loaded with 
curses, and you will acknowledge that your 
sufferings can bear no comparison with His." 
Who, then, can ever complain that he suffers 
wrongfully, when He considers Jesus, who 
was bruised for our sins ? Who can refuse 
to obey, on account of some inconvenience, 
when Jesus became obedient even unto 
death ? Who can refuse ignominies, when 
they behold Jesus treated as a fool, as a 
mock King, as a criminal, as an impostor, 
struck, spit upon on His face, and suspended 
from an infamous gibbet ? 

3. Who can love any other object than 
Jesus, when they see Him dying in the 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 237 

midst of so many and so great sufferings 
and insults, in order to win our love ? 
Father Balthasar Alvarez, S.J., was wont to 
exhort his penitents to meditate frequently 
on the Passion of our Redeemer, saying 
that they should not consider that they had 
done anything at all, until they were able 
to retain Jesus crucified continually present 
in their hearts. " He who desires," says 
St. Bonaventure, " to go on advancing from 
virtue to virtue, from grace to grace, should 
constantly meditate on the Passion of Jesus 
Christ. There is no exercise more profita- 
ble for the entire sanctification of the soul 
than the frequent meditation of the suf- 
ferings of Jesus Christ." 

4. Our Saviour suffered so much, that 
He might urge us to think on His suf- 
ferings ; because, if we think of them, we 
cannot but be inflamed with divine love. 
So few persons love Jesus Christ, because 



238 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

SO few consider what He has deigned to 
suffer for us. He that frequently reflects 
on this cannot Hve without loving Jesus 
Christ, for, as St. Paul says, " the charity 
of Christ presseth us " (2 Cor. v. 14). 
Such a one will feel himself so constrained 
by the Saviour's ineffable love for him, 
that he will not possibly be able to refrain 
from loving a God so full of love, who 
has suffered so much to win our love. 
Hence, the apostle of the Gentiles said, 
that he desired to know nothing but Jesus, 
and Jesus crucified, ^^ I judged not myself 
to know anything among you but Jesus 
Christ, and Him crucified" (i Cor. ii. 2). 
All the saints have learned the art of lov- 
ing God from the study of the crucifix. 
St. Francis of Assisi found no subject on 
which he exhorted his brethren with greater 
eagerness than the constant remembrance of 
the Passion of Jesus. 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 239 

5. Jesus crucified is the book we should 
constantly read. It will teach us, on the 
one hand, to fear sin above every evil, and, 
on the other hand, it will inflame us with 
love for a God so full of love for us. 
" As for myself,*' continues St. Alphonsus, 
" I can never be satiated with meditating 
on the Passion of our divine Redeemer. 
In this subject I find everything. To 
meditate well on it teaches the perfect 
observance of the vows and rules, the love 
of contempt and of the trials that are in- 
separable from the religious life. He will 
never eflfect much, who does not carry 
Jesus Christ crucified in his heart. He 
who keeps his Redeemer in view, cannot 
but love Him truly." Jesus Christ cruci- 
fied should be our love, our life, our treas- 
ure, our all. Our hearts should be con- 
stantly attached to His sacred feet, so that 
we may be able to say with St. Paul : 



240 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

" With Christ I am nailed to the cross ; 
and I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in 
me. ... I live in the faith of the Son 
of God, who loved me and delivered Him- 
self up for me'' (Gal. ii. 19, 20). 



CHAPTER XXL 

Meditations on the Sorrowful Passion 
OF OUR Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
AND Pious Exterior and Interior Ex- 
ercises FOR Every Day in the Month. 



Day of 

the 
Month. 



Mysteries of Christ's 
Passion. 



Jesus takes leave of 
His Mother. 



the 
dis- 



Jesus washes 
feet of His 
ciples. 

Jesus Christ insti- 
tutes the sacrament 
of the Blessed 
Eucharist. 



Jesus gives His last 
admonitions to His 
Apostles before 
His passion. 



Exterior Exercises. 



Not to complain to 
any one about 
one's sufferings, 
and not to seek 
human consola- 
tion. 

To assume the 
meaner occupa- 
tions. 

Often make a spirit- 
ual Communion 
during the day, 
and at meals per- 
form some little 
mortification. 

Not to speak un- 
necessarily during 
the day, and be so 
much the more at- 
tentive to the di- 
vine inspirations. 



Interior Exercises. 



I wish for nothing 
besides Thee, O 
my Lord and God. 



O Lord, wash and 
cleanse my impure 
heart. 

O Lord, I am not 
worthy that Thou 
shouldst enter un- 
der my roof. 



Speak, O Lord, 
for Thy servant 
heareth. 



241 



242 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 



Day of 

the 
Month. 



Mysteries of Christ's 
Passion. 



Exterior Exercises. 



Interior Exercises. 



10 

11 

12 



Jesus prays in the 
Garden of Olives 
and sweats blood 
for our salvation. 

Jesus is betrayed by 
Judas with a kiss. 



Jesus is arrested 
and bound like a 
criminal. 

Jesus is led to An- 
nas. 



Jesus receives a 
blow on the cheek 
from a servant. 



Jesus is thrice de- 
nied by Peter. 

Jesus is mocked all 
night long, and is 
badly treated and 
tormented. 

Jesus is brought 
to Pilate at early 
morn. 



Fervently hasten to 
the prescribed ex- 
ercises of devotion. 

Act in a friendly 
manner towards 
those who are dis- 
agreeable and op- 
posed to us. 

To deny our own 
will 



Perform at once the 
good resolved upon 
or commanded. 

Not to excuse our- 
selves, when, 
though innocent, 
we are blamed or 
punished. 

To complain of no 
one. 

To mortify our- 
selves on all oc- 
casions without 
attracting observa- 
tion. 

To address our 
neighbor in a 
friendly manner. 



Lord, not my will, 
but Thine be 
done! 

Who will grant, O 
Life of my soul, 
that I may die for 
Thee? 

O my Jesus, like a 
lamb Thou didst 
not open Thy 
mouth. 

Thou, O God, art 
my strength ; in 
Thee I can do all 
things. 

O Lord, I am only 
what I am before 
Thee, neither bet- 
ter nor worse. 

Behold me, O Lord, 
have mercy on me. 

O my Jesus, Thou 
canst now say, 
I am a worm, and 
not a man. 

O Lord, I offer my- 
self to Thee as a 
constant holocaust 
of Thy love. 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



H3 



Day of 

the 
Month. 



13 



14 



15 



16 



17 



18 



19 



Mysteries of Christ's 
Passion. 



Jesus is led bound 
to Herod. 



Jesus Christ, the 
eternal Wisdom, 
is clothed in a 
white garment and 
mocked. 

Jesus is brought 
back in great dis- 
grace from Herod 
to Pilate. 

Barabbas, the rob- 
ber, is preferred 
to Jesus, the chief 
Good. 

Jesus is most cru- 
elly scourged. 



Jesus Christ, the 
King of heaven and 
earth, is crowned 
with thorns. 

Jesus is shown in 
this lamentable 
state to the people. 



Exterior Exercises. 



Neither do nor neg- 
lect anything good 
out of human re- 
spect. 

To say or do some- 
thing that may 
draw contempt on 
us. 



Constantly to pre- 
serve holy patience 
amid crosses and 
trials. 

To say nothing in 
our own praise. 



Carefully to restrain 
our eyes in honor 
of Jesus stripped. 



On this day espe- 
cially let us yield 
to our neighbor in 
all things lawful. 

Neither desire to 
please men, nor 
fear to displease 
them. 



Interior Exercises. 



O my Jesus, the 
more Thou allow- 
est Thyself to be 
despised, the more 
I love Thee. 

O my dearest 
Spouse, I will 
rather be despised 
with Thee, than be 
honored without 
Thee. 

My kingdom is not 
of this world. 



O dearest Jesus, my 
God and my all. 



O Lord, is it pos- 
sible for me to see 
Thee in such tor- 
ments, and not to 
melt into tears ? 

O my Jesus, it was 
I, who by my pride, 
placed this crown 
of thorns on Thy 
head. 

My Lord and my 
God, in possessing 
Thee I possess all 
things. 



244 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL UFE. 



Day of 
the 

Month. 



20 



21 



22 



23 



24 



26 



Mysteries of Christ's 
Passion. 



Jesus is unjustly 
condemned to 

death. 

Jesus carries His 
heavy cross. 



Jesus, carrying His 
cross, meets His 
sorrowful Mother. 



At the end of the 
Way of the cross 
Jesus is allowed 
neither refresh- 
ment nor rest. 

Jesus is stripped of 
His clothes shame- 
fully and amid 
great suffering. 

Jesus is nailed to 
the cross. 



Jesus, fearfully in- 
sulted and reviled, 
prays for His ene- 
mies. 



Exterior Exercises. 



To explain every- 
thing in favor of 
our neighbor. 

In honor of Jesus 
carrying His cross 
to assist others in 
their hard work. 

To practise some 
devotion in honor 
of the Mother of 
God, and to con- 
sole the afflicted. 

Not to eat out of 
meal time, not to 
sit down without 
necessity, if fa- 
tigued. 

To suffer patiently 
the inclemencies of 
the weather. 

Not to lean on any- 
thing when seated, 
or — when not ob- 
served — to pray 
with outstretched 
arms. 

Most willingly to re- 
turn good for in- 
juries received. 



Interior Exercises. 



O Lord, I have de- 
served death. 

My Lord, grant me 
the grace to suffer 
something for Thy 
sake. 

O dearest Mother, 
assist me in every 
trial, anguish, and 
want. 

O my Jesus, for Thy 
sake change for me 
all earthly sweet- 
ness into bitterness. 

Forgive me, O my 
Saviour, for hav- 
ing so delicately 
treated my body. 

O Lord, suffer not 
Thy great pains to 
be in vain for me. 



O Lord, how much 
more hast Thou 
forgiven me, than I 
have forgiven my 
neighbor ! 



THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 245 



Day of 

the 
Month. 



28 



30 



31 



Mysteries of Christ's 
Passion. 



Jesus cries out, I 
thirst ; and is 
given gall and vin- 
egar to drink. 

Jesus amid great 
torments gives up 
His soul. 



The Sacred Heart 
of Jesus is pierced 
with a lance. 



Jesus is taken down 
from the cross and 
placed in the sep- 
ulchre. 



Mary, the Mother 
of sorrows, is con- 
stant in suffering, 
and perfectly con- 
formed to God's 
holy will. 



Exterior Exercises. 



Not to drink out of 
meals. 



To obey perfectly 
even in difficult 
matters. 



To exercise hearty 
and benevolent 
charity towards our 
neighbor. 

Strive to practise 
poverty perfectly. 



Strive to practise 
true self-denial, 
and accept all 
things with a holy 
indifference from 
the hands of God. 



Interior Exercises, 



May the Blood of 
Jesus Christ be 
given me to drink 
and to cleanse me 
from my sins. 

O Jesus, to Thee I 
live; O Jesus, to 
Thee I die ; O Je- 
sus, Thine am I in 
life and death ! 

With the darts of 
Thy love, O Lord, 
wound my heart, 
and remain my 
portion forever. 

O my only Good, 
I willingly embrace 
holy poverty, since, 
for my sake, Thou 
didst become the 
poorest of all. 

Holy Mother, im- 
press thy suffer- 
ings deeply in our 
hearts. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary. 

" Behold thy Son. . . . Behold thy 
Mother" (John xix. 27). These were the 
last words that Jesus Christ addressed to 
any creature before His death, they are His 
last will. By them He intrusted all His 
disciples to His own beloved Mother as 
her spiritual children, and gave her to all 
His disciples as their spiritual Mother. 
These words have a special reference to 
religious, who are represented by St. John, 
the beloved disciple of our Saviour. He 
was a virginal soul, who had left all things 
for Christ's sake. Religious vow and prac- 
tise chastity, have left all things for Christ's 

246 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 247 

sake, and have become His beloved spouses. 
No one else, then, has a greater claim to 
Mary as a Mother. 

Religious may then say, Mary, in fact, 
has been truly our Mother, and the most 
tender of mothers, for we may, indeed, say, 
" All good things came to me together 
with her, and innumerable riches through 
her hands, for she is an infinite treasure 
to men ; which they that use, become the 
friends of God" (Wisd. vii. 11, 13). We 
owe everything to Mary. It is through 
her that we received all the graces bestowed 
on us whilst we were in the world, and 
particularly the inestimable grace of our 
vocation. How many times did she not 
preserve us from danger, how many times 
did she not obtain for us victory over the 
allurements and temptations of the world ! 
It was she who obtained for us the 
strength and heroism requisite to leave the 



248 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

world, to renounce its pleasures, to give up 
our own will. We can easily remember 
how she helped us when we invoked her, 
how she consoled and encouraged us in 
our trials. But what favors has she not 
conferred on us since the day on which 
we were consecrated and espoused to her 
divine Son ! Has she not, so to speak, 
spoiled us by her kindness ? Without her 
help we could never have practised the 
virtues required of religious — humility, 
self-denial, obedience, meekness and char- 
ity. Without her we could not have 
overcom^e our many temptations, borne our 
numerous httle trials. We could not have 
persevered until now in our holy vocation, 
had we not been assisted by the Mother 
of perseverance. How kind and loving 
has she not been to us in all our wants ! 
Never did she refuse us a favor. And 
how many benefits has she not conferred 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 249 

on us without our being aware of them ! 
Had it not been for her tender maternal 
solicitude for us, to how many dangerous 
and violent temptations should we not 
have been exposed, and how deeply should 
we not perhaps have fallen ! And had we 
been more loving and devoted children to 
her, had we more promptly invoked her, 
more fervently prayed to her, and more 
faithfully honored her, we should not have 
committed so many faults, or be now so 
full of imperfections and so devoid of 
virtue. 

We claim Mary as our Mother, and boast 
of being her children. But to be truly her 
children, we should bear some resemblance 
to her. As she is our spiritual Mother, her 
spiritual features, that is, her virtues, should 
be delineated in us, should be visible in 
our conduct. In the first place, we should 
resemble her in humility. Although she 



2 so HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

was the holiest and most perfect and most 
exalted of creatures, she excelled all in hu- 
mility. By her virginity, says the Church, 
Mary pleased God ; but it was by her 
humility that she conceived the Son of God. 
"Without humility," says St. Bernard, "even 
Mary's spotless virginity would not have 
saved her." " Humility," says St. Teresa, 
" drew the Son of God from heaven into 
the womb of a virgin ; and it is only by a 
similar humility that we can draw Him into 
our souls." 

Secondly, Mary distinguished herself by 
her love of silence, recollection, retirement 
and prayer. Her union with God was con- 
stant and uninterrupted. Prayer was the 
food of her soul ; it was a second nature to 
her. Let us strive to imitate her in this, 
and especially in making our daily medita- 
tion well. — Thirdly, Mary was a model of 
obedience. Let us consider our rules as th^ 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 251 

will of God towards us, and look upon the 
orders of our superiors as the orders of God 
Himself — Fourthly, Mary was all aglow 
with divine love, and zealous for the salva- 
tion of mankind. Let us love no one but 
God, and allow in our heart no affection 
unless it be for God or in God, and, at the 
same time, let us be ready to sacrifice our- 
selves for the welfare and salvation of our 
neighbor in so far as obedience permits. — 
In fine, Mary is the Queen of Martyrs, the 
Mother of Sorrows, for next to Jesus, no 
one ever suffered so much and so willingly 
and patiently as Mary. Let us, like her, 
accept all sufferings, all trials and crosses, 
with patience and resignation, as sent to us 
by God out of love for us. 

Let us ask Mary, our Mother, Our Lady 
of Perpetual Help, the Mother of Mercy, 
the Mother of Perseverance, to help us 
faithfully to keep our good resolutions, to 



252 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

help us to imitate her virtues. Let us en- 
treat her, by the love she bears to our 
Spouse Jesus, by the love she bears to us 
her children, to help us to resemble her, to 
become her true and worthy children. She 
who is the most loving of mothers cannot 
refuse a prayer so pleasing to her — a prayer 
which she can easily grant us, for she is all- 
powerful with her divine Son. He cannot 
refuse anything to her who bore Him, whom 
He loved, honored and obeyed on earth as 
His Mother, and whom He has exalted in 
heaven above all creatures. Let us in all 
our sorrows, in all our trials and suffer- 
ings, and especially in all our temptations 
and dangers, have recourse to her with the 
utmost fervor, love and confidence, for she, 
the most powerful and tender of mothers, 
will obtain for us all we ask through her. 
"In all your wants," says the holy Redemp- 
torist, Blessed Clement Maria Hofbauer, 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 253 

"turn to the Blessed Virgin. She is the 
Mother of Mercy, and will obtain mercy 
for you from her Son. Never has the Son 
refused His Mother a grace, for He cannot 
turn away a prayer of His Mother. She 
has found, and always will find, grace with 
God." " He who remembers," says St. 
Alphonsus, " having, in temptations against 
chastity, invoked the name of Mary, may rest 
assured of not having given consent to them." 
We should daily honor Mary in a special 
manner, and pray much and often to her. 
We can never honor her too much, whom 
God has so greatly honored. We ought, 
moreover, to do all in our power to inspire 
others with devotion to her, with a tender 
love for her and an unlimited confidence 
in her intercession. We ought to consider 
our devotion to Mary as our protection, as 
the surest means of salvation and sanctifica- 
tion, and as a pledge of life everlasting. 



254 HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

because she never forsakes those who are 
devout to her. " The devotions we prac- 
tise in honor of the glorious Virgin Mary/' 
says St. Teresa, " however Uttle in them- 
selves, are very pleasing to her divine Son, 
for He rewards them with eternal glory." 
" If you persevere until death," says St. 
Alphonsus, " in true devotion to Mary, 
your salvation is assured." 

Let us heed the beautiful exhortation of 
St. Bernard, that great servant of Mary. 
" O thou who feelest thyself tempest- tossed 
amid the shoals of this world, turn not 
away thine eyes from the Star of the sea, 
if thou wouldst avoid shipwreck. If the 
winds of temptation blow furiously, if tribu- 
lations rise up like rocks before thee, cast 
a look at the Star, heave a sigh to Mary. 
If the waves of pride, ambition, calumny, 
jealousy, seek to swallow up -thy soul, turn 
thine eyes towards the Star, breathe a prayer 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 255 

to Mary. If anger, love of pleasure, 
threaten thy frail bark, seek the protecting 
look of Mary. If horror for thine own 
sins, remorse of conscience, dread of the 
divine judgments, overwhelm thee with sad- 
ness and seek to plunge thee into the abyss 
of despair, cling closely to Mary. In thy 
dangers, in thy anguish, in thy doubts, think 
of Mary, call on Mary. Let the sweet 
name of Mary be on thy lips, in thy heart, 
and, whilst seeking the aid of her prayers, 
lose not sight of the example of her virtues. 
So long as thou followest her, thou canst 
not go astray. So long as thou invokest 
her, thou canst not be without hope. As 
long as thou thinkest on her, thou wilt 
remain in the right path. So long as she 
sustains thee, thou canst not fall. So long 
as she protects thee, thou hast nothing to 
fear. If she favor thy voyage, thou wilt 
safely reach the harbor of salvation." 



256 HKLPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 

CONSECRATION TO MARY, OUR MOTHER. 

O most holy and immaculate Virgin 
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, my beloved 
Spouse, I now again choose thee as my own 
Mother. Henceforth I will never cease to 
love, cherish and venerate thee as my own 
beloved Mother all the days of my life. 
To thee will I have recourse in all my trials, 
sufferings and temptations, and I shall do 
my best to induce others to love and ven- 
erate thee, and to invoke thee in all their 
wantSe O Mary, deign to accept me as 
thine own most loving child, and make me 
faithful to thee. Make me, like thee, hum- 
ble, meek, patient, charitable, pure, obedient 
and docile to my rules and superiors. Deign 
to obtain for me an unwavering love for my 
Spouse Jesus, and a holy and well-regulated 
zeal for the salvation of souls. O Mary, 
my dearest Mother, do not forsake me, thy 



THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 257 

child, when I am assailed by temptation ; 
hasten then at once to my assistance, and 
do not permit me ever to prove untrue to 
my beloved Jesus. Enable me, by thy 
all-powerful help, to become, through a con- 
stant growth in virtue and holiness, daily 
more and more pleasing to Jesus, my heav- 
enly Spouse, and to persevere until death 
in the love of Him and of thee, my most 
tender and beloved Mother Mary. Amen. 



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